Hi all - we live on Lake Granbury and this summer the more shallow (under six feet) areas have been 'taken over' by some kind of stringy, smelly weed - the boat props shear this off and it washes up to our lake
walls regularly - we do our best to collect the slimy stuff and put it in the trash but wish there was some way to kill it off. Some neighbors have even had boat problems with these weeds wrapping around props and causing burn-outs. Nasty stuff. Is there anything we can use on this that won't kill the fish or ducks? Anyone have any suggestions? we're at our wit's end here - Marsha Brown

The first thing that comes to mind is grass carp. Supposedly they eat everything green and are good eating fish.

Secondly, until your carp take control, comost the weeds, don't trash them.

Triploid (sterile) grass carp are now legal to use in ponds, but only once you acquire the permits. They should not be used by a landowner on a lake without the involvment and approval of the appropriate land agencies, due to the potential consequences to the rest of the ecosystem. They essentially clear all vegetation, including that which is used by native fish for cover and spawning.

You should find out what local government agency is responsible for managing the lake and get them involved. If the weed you're referring to is an exotic, invasive species, they might be interested in starting a control program. If it's a native species, it's probably best to take no action and just live with it, because native aquatic animals may depend on the plant in some way.

Is that permit thing national or a Florida thing?

I think it's a national thing. We live on a private lake near College Station and the board of directors periodically stocks the grass carp. They do wonders but it's true they will eat every piece of vegetation so you can't have too many. I heard that they completely cleaned out one of the lakes near Houston (maybe Lake Conroe? I don't remember) so that it became a completely sterile lake with no fish or aquatic insects.

Dchall mentioned composting the moss. I was wondering about that myself - do you think the gas/oil residue from the boats would be harmful? After all, the moss is pretty much a filtering agent so probably soaks up a lot of the gunk.

Growing up in the Great Midwest, my parents had a cabin on a small lake. Each summer we would walk out as far as we could and drag a rake across the bottom to collect the weeds. My mother would use them as a mulch on the garden. It never seemed to affect the plants. In fact I believe it even may have been a great fertilizer. As far as the gas and oil, it never seemed to be a problem. Some times I would have a pile 5 feet tall on the shore. It was a chore carrying the weeds up the hill to the garden. But then I was younger and had a lot of energy.

Sorry, Hurricane Jeanne has kept me away until now. I don't know for sure that the permit requirement is national, but I know it holds true for both Florida and Texas.