Aerial assault begins on lake’s evasive plant species
Another first for Lake Seminole and its Stewards. On the morning of June 20th, the Department of Natural Resources, in coordination with the Stewards of Lake Seminole and the Corps of Engineers, sprayed 150 acres of Cuban bulrush and water hyacinths in Spring Creek, north and south of the Highway 253 bridge. This area is the source of the invasive aquatics that are flowing down Spring Creek to contaminate other areas of Spring Creek and ultimately the lake. This is the first time a helicopter has been used to spray on Lake Seminole. A helicopter is more efficient and cost-effective than other spraying methods that are hindered by underwater obstacles.
Follow up spraying on Spring Creek by airboat will begin after the July 4th holiday. Upon completion, 250 acres of Cuban bulrush, water hyacinths and water primrose will be targeted up the Flint River. This acreage will be equivalent to approximately 30 miles of shoreline. This tremendous effort was made possible through the leadership of our District 154, Georgia House of Representative Gerald Greene and our new State Senator for District 11, Sam Watson. Governor Brian Kemp’s approval of this initiative, and recognition of the unique needs of Lake Seminole for the support of its communities, holds great promise for the future.
Thousands of acres of accessible water for recreation have been lost to the invasives Cuban bulrush and water primrose since Hurricane Michael. This coordinated and combined effort by the State of Georgia, the Corps of Engineers and the Stewards of Lake Seminole can help recover those areas.
The mission of the Stewards of Lake Seminole is to secure funding as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, to manage invasive species on Lake Seminole, in a collaborative but timely manner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), for the benefit of the Lake Seminole stakeholders.
Visit www.stewardsoflakeseminole.com and click the Sponsorship tab and become part of the Lake Seminole solution today.
