The Southwest Florida Water Management District, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, will treat hydrilla on selected areas of Lake Panasoffkee.
Approximately 200 acres of the 4,000-acre Lake Panasoffkee will be treated May 9-11. Treatment involves applying the aquatic herbicide Aquathol K from the air.
Maps of the treatment areas will be posted at local fish camps as well as on floating buoys outlining the treated zones. The treatment date and applicable water use restrictions will also be posted.
Lake water within the treated areas should not be used for watering livestock, irrigation or domestic purposes for 14 days. Fish caught within the treated areas should not be used for food or feed within three days of treatment. The restrictions do not apply to tap or well water.
Hydrilla is a troublesome aquatic plant from Southeast Asia that escaped into Florida’s lakes and rivers during the late 1950s. It is a fast-growing submerged plant that expands quickly and has the ability to grow densely from the bottom to the water surface.
If hydrilla is not managed, recreational activities, navigation, water quality, beneficial native plant communities and fish and wildlife populations may be negatively impacted.
Lake Panasoffkee has not required hydrilla treatment for many years. However, the plant has expanded significantly within the past year.
For more information, please call the District at 352-796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476.