Rogers Lake weed study results to be presented Monday
Old Lyme — Engineers will present the results of a study on the treatment of aquatic weeds within Rogers Lake at an information session Monday.
The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School.
The study, by New England Environmental Inc. of Amherst, Mass., recommends the application of the herbicide Flumioxazin to target areas and manage weeds within the 260-acre lake between Lyme and Old Lyme. The study also recommends hydro-raking in some areas to control water lilies.
The overgrowth of non-native species — variable-leaf milfoil and fanwort — as well as water lily species has "decreased accessibility and recreational use in Rogers Lake," the New England Environmental study states.
The study includes a survey of plants in the lake by All Habitat Services LLC. of Branford, an assessment of herbicide impact on human health, a domestic well impact evaluation, a wildlife impact evaluation and a baseline for the lake's water quality.
The consultants also said in the study that they considered options, including hand-pulling, harvesting, hydro-raking, benthic barriers and dredging, as well as biological management options that would place milfoil weevil or grass carp, "natural predators of milfoil and fanwort species" within the lake. The study further describes seven herbicides, including Flumioxazin.
The study, available on the town of Old Lyme's website, describes Flumioxazin and presents the consultants' reasons for recommending it.
"...After reviewing all variables above, NEE suggests the use of Flumioxazin to control variable-leaf milfoil and fanwort because it is cost efficient, low in human health toxicity, effective and highly regulated" by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and state Department of Public Health, the study concludes.
If used, the herbicide would be applied to targeted areas of nuisance — for example, the boat launch or areas of the lake that typically experience boat traffic, Old Lyme First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder said at a Board of Selectmen meeting this week.
A lake management plan could include additional tools: education on keeping fertilizers down on lawns, ensuring septic tanks are pumped regularly and using benthic mats in front of homes, she explained.
The Lyme and Old Lyme selectmen, along with representatives of the Rogers Lake Authority, had formed a committee in the fall of 2013 to study treatment options and a management plan for the invasive weeds. The towns previously had tried organic methods to control weeds, including harvesting and suction harvesting.
The Rogers Lake Weed Committee voted 4 to 1 to bring the study's recommendation to a public information session, according to a news release. The engineers will be available at Monday's meeting to present the study and answer questions, the release stated.
Reemsnyder said in an email interview that the next steps in the process are to understand which permits would be required. A state permit is required, and the towns are investigating what town permits are needed.
Twitter: @KimberlyDrelich
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