Chapman Lakes Conservation Association, Inc.--Official Web Site
Entire web site copyright © 2003-2004-2005-2006 CHAPMAN LAKES CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION, Inc.

Aquatic Weed Control

For a summary of the Chapman Lakes Aquatic Plant Management Plan, click this link.

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IMPORTANT FACTS TO CONSIDER:

  1. Residents may undertake weed control in front of their property without a permit provided the area does not exceed 625 square feet and 25 lineal feet of shoreline. Otherwise a permit is required.
  2. A balanced quantity of native plants are beneficial and necessary to lake ecosystems.
  3. Non-native, noxious plants, like Eurasian water milfoil spread rapidly and are damaging to the lake ecosystem.
  4. There are two kinds of chemical treatment: A) Burn down (like mowing the lawn); and, B) Root herbicides that kill the plant entirely.
  5. No one chemical is effective on all types of aquatic plants; I.e. different chemicals for different plants.
  6. Do not expect a single treatment to do the job. Expect two treatments in the first year, followed by one the second year. Annual treatment may be required in some cases.
  7. A fragment of Eurasian water milfoil can root into a new plant. As a result, this non-native species, when cut or raked, may well cause a greater infestation.
  8. It is illegal to dump cut or raked aquatic plants back into the water or a wetlands.
  9. It is illegal to cultivate or sell purple loosestrife in Indiana (and most other states).
  10. Licensed aquatic plant control businesses in this area should be used for all chemical applications for control of aquatic plants.
  11. Excess phosphorus in lake water accelerates aquatic plant growth and proliferation.
    12.

CLICK HERE for the Aquatic Plant Control Law

(See key for Chapman Lakes map in copy below.)

If there is a common complaint from the majority of Chapman Lakes homeowners, it is an excess of aquatic plants that have increased many fold over the past few years. The Chapman Lakes Diagnostic Study of 2001 discusses these increases in full detail over many pages of the completed document. There are many forces at work that will impact aquatic plants. While it is an over-simplification of a complicated problem, some of the reasons for the increase are: 1) Increase in nutrients provided to the lakes' water columns from watershed drains; 2) Constant disturbance of bottom sediment by increasing boating traffic; 3) Excess lawn fertilizer washing from lakeside properties; plant densities are greatest in channels, which provide nutrient-rich substrates for increased plant growth.
Both the Chapman Lakes Conservation Association (CLCA) and Chapman Lakes Foundation (CLF) are working on the problem and your contributions are needed now:
The Chapman Lakes Conservation Association, Inc., has completed an aquatic weed control management plan that will provide an organized approach to total lake control. (Contribute to the Chapman Lakes Foundation to help.) Any state grant funds that may be received by the foundation can only be used for control of non-native noxious species, such as Eurasian water milfoil, purple loosestrife and others. In addition to watershed drain improvements, completed, underway, or planned, the foundation is raising funds that can also be used for aquatic plant control. First year control of invasive species may cost as much as $100,000.
Two CLCA members are licensed and certified chemical applicators now doing spot treatments on the Chapman Lakes in conjunction with CLCA contracted applicators. The members operate only within the CLCA Scientific Division and are not available for private treatment work. The CLCA Scientific program allows the organization to supplement treatment to control invasive Eurasian Water Milfoil infestations.

DIAGNOSTIC STUDY AQUATIC PLANT KEY

  • Area 1 --Located near the public boat ramp, southeast corner, Big Chapman. Narrow-leaved cattail, rose mallow, button bush, whorled loosestrife, jewelweed, hard stem bulrush, milfoil, eel grass, slender naiad, white water lilies, spiny naiad, chara, Eurasian water milfoil, sago pondweed, Illinois pondweed, curly leaf pondweed, grass-leaved pondweed, small duckweed. Eurasian water milfoil dominant in the eastern portion.
  • Area 2 --Shallow water area in the central portion of Big Chapman. Illinois pondweed, Sago pondweed, grass-leaved pondweed, spiny naiad, eel grass, bladderwort, and chara.
  • Area 3 --Protected cove along southern shoreline directly south of Area 2. Long-leaved pondweed, grass-leaved pondweed, and chara. Scattered, isolated beds.
  • Area 4 --Northern shoreline northwest of Area 2. Thin stands of hardstem bulrush, spiny naiad and chara.
  • Area 5 --Northwest shoreline. Eurasian water milfoil, coontail, eel

grass, slender naiad, chara, elodea, Illinois pondweed.

  • Area 6 --Protected cove, northeast corner, Big Chapman. Densest  submerged vegetation. Eurasian water milfoil dominate. Spiny naiad, sago pondweed, coontail, narrow-leaved cattails, rose mallow, dogwood shrubs, pickerel weed, spatterdock, white water lilies, duckweed.
  • Area 7 --South of Area 6 adjacent to eastern shoreline. Eurasian water milfoil dominance, cattails, Illinois pondweed, Sago pondweed, Chara.
  • Little Chapman --Eurasian water milfoil, coontail, eel grass, are dominant, eastern shoreline, up to 150 feet from shore. Western wetland side, narrow-leaved cattail dominate, rose mallow, whorled loosestrife, jewelweed, false nettle, willows. Shallow water, western shoreline, eel grass chara, dominant, spatterdock, white water lilies, Eurasian water milfoil in southern cove. Connecting channel, Eel grass, northern milfoil, Eurasian water milfoil, sago pondweed, slender naiad, long-leaved pondweed, white water star, chara.