The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued a bulletin late Tuesday, Sept. 29, that aquatic plant management on portions of Lake Okeechobee is to begin immediately.
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CLEWISTON — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued a bulletin late Tuesday, Sept. 29, that aquatic plant management on portions of Lake Okeechobee is to begin immediately.
“Due to a recent legal opinion, USACE is no longer able to send ‘Removal of Aquatic Growth Project’ funds to the State of Florida using a cooperative agreement.
“In order to meet its mission requirements for Federal Navigation and Flood Control, USACE will be directing treatments for aquatic plant management by contractor in the south end of the lake from Pelican Bay to Uncle Joe’s Cut (also known as the ‘Mayaka Cut’) including the Rim Canal from Port Mayaca, to Old Sportsman’s” (the area just south of Fisheating Bay known as the Old Sportsman’s Village Boat Ramp).
“The treatment area is from Old Sportsman’s to Clewiston in the Rim Canal. This area contains high amounts of hyacinth and some tussock material that is causing blockages in the federal navigation channel.”
According to the news release, contractors have been authorized to use:
• “Diquat (2 quarts per acre);
• 2, 4 - D (2 quarts per acre); and,
• Imazapyr/ glyphosate mix (label rate)
Anyone with questions about this procedure, which the USACE says could take days or weeks, may contact:
• Jessica Fair, email: Jessica.m.fair@usace.army.mil; or by phone at 904-305-9635; or,
• Ian Markovich, email: Ian.j.markovich@usace.army.mil; or by phone at 863-738-4663.
