Starry stonewort is an invasive algae that takes root in lakebeds and can grow up to the surface, crowding out aquatic plants that fish like to eat and harming spawning areas.
Residents along Hillview Bay have to struggle to get out onto the lake, he said.
Because of starry stonewort, the lake district didn't cut weeds in Hillview Bay so they have grown thick, making it hard for boaters to get out, Reck said. The district didn't cut in Hillview Bay because cutting would chop the starry stonewort into pieces, with each piece able to grow another plant.
Reck said he sees his lake neighbors battle their way to open water:
"They go a little way and they clean their props and go a little ways and clean their props."
'Been a pain'
Mary and Mike Kreuzer of Luering Drive know what he means.
"It's been a pain," said Mary Kreuzer who said they have been willing to make the sacrifice with hope that starry stonewort could be conquered.
"If they can control it or figure out how to get rid of it so it doesn't ruin our lake, it's worth going through this year," she said.
When they take their pontoon boat out, they frequently have to stop, backup and get the weeds off, she said.
Starry Stonewort
“Starry stonewort may be the greatest challenge that has ever faced lake management professionals and lake user groups in Michigan. The impact on Michigan fisheries could be profound.”
Wow, is that scary statement, from the report “A Decade of Starry Stonewart in Michigan,” released by the University of Michigan. Here’s another quote from an aquatic biologist. “Starry stonewart grows to resemble something like a coral reef, it’s like a solid wall,” says Joel Steenstra, of Summit Laboratory in Grand Rapids, MI.
Like a coral reef? Holy smokes!
Here’s more from the U of M report:
“The biology of starry stonewort is very different in Michigan, where it is a hardy and aggressive opportunist, and Europe, where it is a threatened species. It also seems peculiar that starry stonewort inhabited Lake St. Clair for nearly 30 years before it became conspicuous in inland lakes and then to have spread so rapidly throughout the lower peninsula of Michigan. This suggests that the starry stonewort now found in Michigan lakes is a particular genotype or even a hybrid that is distinct from the starry stonewort found in Europe...”
So, Europe’s starry stonewort is wimpy, and ours is ready to take on all comers! Why? It may have become a hybrid with our own native chara. The result: “Weeds Gone Wild!”
There is an upside to starry stonewort. It quickly chokes out eurasian milfoil and everything else. It also clears up the water like zebra mussels. In fact, zebra mussels seem to like starry stonewort. The thing is, starry stonewort chokes out just about everything and squeezes large fish bedding areas. It is not a good weed to have in your lake...not at all.
Though it responds to chemical treatment, starry stonewort grows so thick, the chemicals only “burn” the weeds on top. Some herbicide applicators refer to this as a “haircut treatment,” meaning they can’t get it all, just the upper portion of the mass of starry stonewort. There’s just too much bio-mass to get rid of starry stonewart completely without killing everything in the lake. And because it creates so much mass so quickly, mechanical harvesters have a difficult time with starry stonewart.
Starry stonewort isn’t a true (vascular) plant; it’s an algae. Vascular plants like coontail, naiad and curly leaf pondweed are far more complex and easier to control. Think of it as regular plants being like General Motors and algae is like a bunch of guys building cars in their garages independently. Each algae cell is its own little factory.
- See more at: http://www.lakemat.com/education/lake-weed-blog/2011/01/big-four-bad-weeds#sthash.rbUTsSzd.dpuf
Muskego —On Little Muskego Lake where efforts continue to confine starry stonewor, the city of Muskego at the recommendation of the Little Muskego Lake District will continue the temporary closure of the Hillview boat launch through July 28.
The invasive algae found in Hillview Bay is carried from lake to lake on boats. Restricting access to the lake is one of the methods lake district are using to battling the invading algae, but it's a major one.
"We do not want to get more starry stonewort in Little Muskego Lake," said Tom Rech, lake district president.
July 28 big day
The extension will keep the Hillview boat ramp closed until the July 28 Muskego Common Council meeting. Aldermen will then be asked to decide whether to extend the closure to Sept. 15, as the lake district recommends. Aldermen also will consider an additional lake district recommendation to close two other city-owned boat ramps until Sept. 15.
Closing the Oak Court and the Pleasant View boat launches would funnel all boat traffic onto the Idle Isle boat launch. The lake district has a part-time attendant at Idle Isle who makes sure boat owners clean their boats to stop the spread of starry stonewort or other invasive species into or out of Little Muskego Lake.
Oak Court is on the south side of the lake and Pleasant View on the east side.
Temporarily closing the Hillview boat launch on the lake's west side will allow the Little Muskego Lake District with the assistance of the state Department of Natural Resources to continue its work to manage the invasive starry stonewort in the affected area, according to a news release from Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti announcing the extension of the Hillview closing.