Mattoon Lake, located near the town of Ellensburg in Central Washington, was selected as a site to study Eurasian watermilfoil control using weevils native to North America.

Aquatic Plant Monitoring

Contents

Introduction

Freshwater aquatic plant monitoring is conducted within the Department of Ecology’s Environmental Assessment Program. The monitoring program’s purpose is to track aquatic plant community changes in lakes and rivers throughout the state, concentrating on invasive non-native species such as Eurasian milfoil. Over the years targeted research and control projects have also been undertaken. The aquatic plant monitoring program was established as part of the Freshwater Aquatic Weed Program in 1991. This program provides expertise on aquatic plant issues and a source of grant money (see Aquatic Weeds Financial Assistance Information) for local invasive aquatic plant management projects.

What are invasive non-native plants?

Invasive non-native plants have been introduced to Washington either accidentally or on purpose by humans. They evolved in other parts of the world, and are brought to this region without natural enemies such as plant-eating insects and diseases that normally keep their growth in check in their homeland.

The aquatic invasive plants found in Washington were all originally brought here as ornamental plants for aquariums or water gardens. These ornamental plants tend to be naturally hardy and able to withstand the tough growing conditions found in aquariums. Thus, when they are introduced to Washington’s waters, they often thrive and out-compete native plants.

What Ecology’s Environmental Assessment Program is doing about aquatic invasive non-native plants

Washington state has a State Noxious Weed Control Board that, among other things, maintains lists of the most threatening invasive non-native plant species. (For more information on the list and aquatic plants included see Overview of Noxious Freshwater Weeds in Washington.

The listed aquatic weeds that are monitored by Ecology include:

Butomus umbellatus (flowering rush) description distribution
Cabomba caroliniana (fanwort) description distribution
Egeria densa (Brazilian elodea or egeria) description distribution
Epilobium hirsutum (hairy willow herb) description distribution
Glyceria maxima (reed sweetgrass) description distribution
Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrilla) description distribution
Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (Europeans frog-bit) description distribution
Iris pseudacorus (yellow flag iris) description distribution
Ludwigia hexapetala (water primrose) description distribution
Ludwigia peploides (floating primrose willow) description distribution
Lysimachia vulgaris (garden loosestrife) description distribution
Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) description distribution
Myriophyllum aquaticum (parrotfeather) description distribution
Myriophyllum heterophyllum (variable leaf milfoil) description distribution
Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian milfoil) description distribution
Nymphae odorata (fragrant waterlily) description distribution
Nymphoides peltata (yellow floating heart) description distribution
Phalaris arundinacea (reed canarygrass) description distribution
Phragmites australis (common reed) description  
Potamogeton crispus (curly leaf pondweed) description distribution
Sagittaria graminea (grass leaf arrowhead) description distribution
Schoenolectus mucronatus (rice field bulrush) description distribution
Utricularia inflata (bladderwort) description distribution

Also see Invasive Nonnative Freshwater Plants for additional information on many of these species.  Note, wetland and shoreline plants included in this list likely are more widely distributed than our database (below) would indicate since we generally only monitor waterbodies with public boat access.

Several research projects have been undertaken to further our knowledge of aquatic plant distribution and to investigate various control methods for aquatic weeds. These are described in more detail below:

Washington State Aquatic Plant Survey

Every year, we conduct site visits to identify aquatic plants, evaluate plant community structure, and detect the existence or potential for problems, particularly as they relate to invasive non-native aquatic plants. Results of these surveys can be accessed here online.

Search survey results by county, lake, or plant name:

Or, download database file (325 kilobytes zip file, Microsoft Access 2002 format).

Online results are current through survey-year 2009.

Please note that our focus is on lakes with public boat access.  The sites are not selected randomly, so data cannot be used to make inferences about the overall condition of Washington's lakes.

Class A aquatic weed eradication projects

Class A noxious weeds are defined as non-native species whose distribution in Washington is still limited. Preventing new infestations and eradicating existing infestations are the highest priority. Eradication of all Class A weeds is required by law. (link to http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/searchResults.asp?class=A for the full list of Class A weeds)

Some Aquatic Weed Fund monies are spent each year in efforts focusing on eradication of Class A aquatic weeds. The plants targeted so far have been hydrilla, variable leaf milfoil and flowering rush.

Hydrilla:   Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/plantid2/descriptions/hydver.html) is considered one of the worst aquatic weeds in the world. In Washington, only two connected lakes have been found with this species; Pipe and Lucerne Lakes in King County. Hydrilla was first identified in these small joined lakes in 1994. Work began in 1995 to eradicate the population from both lakes. As of summer 2010 no hydrilla has been found in Lake Lucerne for six years, and in Pipe for four years. Ecology funded much of the eradication effort, however King County Lake Stewardship staff handled all of the work either themselves or contracted it out. See http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/waterandland/lakes/plants/weed-identification/hydrilla/eradication-project/reports.aspx for additional information

Variable leaf milfoil: Variable leaf milfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum) was added to the class A noxious weed list in 2008 when advances in milfoil genetic analysis confirmed the presence of this plant in five lakes in Pierce and Thurston Counties. Through the Aquatic Weed Fund, Ecology has provided money through the county noxious weed control programs to support control efforts including herbicide and diver hand pulling. We have also mapped remnant populations of the variable leaf milfoil in each lake during all years of treatment. As of 2010 the status of each lake is as follows:

Flowering rush:  Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus) was added to the class A noxious weed list in 2009. At the time, we thought there were only two populations in the state, one in Silver Lake, Whatcom County and one along a small stretch of the Yakima River in Benton County. In the summer of 2009 substantially more flowering rush was found along the lower Yakima River, and in 2010 it was found in Lake Spokane and Little Falls Reservoir on the Spokane River, the Columbia River at the mouth of the Yakima, and one patch was found in the Pend Oreille River. Control efforts to-date include spraying all of the patches on the Yakima River and survey work on the other populations. Ecology is teaming with local noxious weed control personnel, Avista utilities, and the Corps of Engineers to ramp up the battle against this plant in 2011.

Research projects

Use of 2,4-D for selective control of an early infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil in Loon Lake, Washington

This project was undertaken in 1998 and 1999 on Loon Lake in Stevens County. It was summarized and published in the Journal of Aquatic Plant Management. The whole article can be accessed online at http://www.apms.org/japm/vol39/v39p117.pdf. The following abstract is taken from this publication:

A patchy distribution of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) in Loon Lake was treated with the herbicide 2,4-D during July 1998. Aquatic plant biomass and frequency data were collected before treatment, and six weeks and one year after treatment. Aqueous concentrations of 2,4-D increased to 1 to 2 mg/l within one day of treatment, and were below detection limits by one week after treatment. Macrophyte data were analyzed to assess the herbicide's impacts on Eurasian watermilfoil as well as the rest of the aquatic plant community. Results showed a significant decrease in Eurasian watermilfoil biomass and frequency in treated areas 6 weeks after treatment, which continued through the one year post-treatment samples. No other plant species were significantly affected by the herbicide application.

Impact of endothall on the aquatic plant community of Kress Lake, Washington

Kress Lake is a small lake formed in an abandoned gravel pit in Cowlitz County (southwest Washington). This project was undertaken in 2000 to investigate the herbicide endothall's impact on both the noxious weed Eurasian watermilfoil and the native plant community. Monitoring continued until 2003 and the results were published in the Journal of Aquatic Plant Management in 2004. In 2005 additional plant frequency data were collected and were not published, but are described below.

The following is the abstract from the publication. The whole paper can be accessed on the Aquatic Plant Management Society website http://www.apms.org/japm/vol42/v42p109.pdf.

A dense mat-forming population of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) was interfering with fishing and recreation in a small western Washington lake. A low concentration (1.5 mg/L active ingredient) of the herbicide endothall formulated as Aquathol® K was used in 2000 to attempt to selectively control the Eurasian watermilfoil. Aquatic plant biomass and frequency data were collected before treatment, ten weeks after treatment and during the growing season for 3 additional years. Macrophyte data were analyzed to assess the herbicide's impacts on Eurasian watermilfoil as well as the rest of the aquatic plant community. Results showed a significant decrease in Eurasian watermilfoil biomass and frequency 10 weeks after treatment. The Eurasian watermilfoil continued to be present, but at a significantly reduced level through the remainder of the study (3 years after treatment). Of the native plant species, large-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton amplifolius Tucker.) frequency and biomass was significantly reduced after treatment. Common elodea (Elodea canadensis Rich.), muskgrass (Chara sp. Vallaint.) and bladderwort (Utricularia sp. L.) all increased significantly after treatment.

In 2005 additional plant frequency data were collected following the same methods used in the original study. A table comparing the 2005 data to the pretreatment data from 2000 is below.

Table: Percent frequency of common aquatic plants in Kress Lake pretreatment and five years post treatment. Significant differences indicated in bold (p<0.05).

    % present  
  Jun-00 July-05 p-value
Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum) 0 26 0.000
Musk grass (Chara sp) 25 52 0.000
Common elodea (Elodea canadensis) 2 79 0.000
Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) 84 76 0.204
no plants 14 1 0.001
Large leaf pondweed (Potomogeton amplifolius) 35 21 0.029
Bladderwort (Utricularia sp) 1 33 0.000

There was no significant difference between the frequency of Eurasian milfoil in 2005 and 2000, so it has returned to essentially pretreatment levels.

The big leaf pondweed frequency is still at significantly reduced levels compared with before treatment. The other common native species, however, were all still found at significantly higher frequencies in 2005 than before treatment.

Use of Diquat to control Brazilian elodea in Battle Ground Lake, Washington

The aquatic invasive non-native plant egeria (Egeria densa Planch.) in Battle Ground Lake (Clark County) was treated with the herbicide diquat in 2003. The purpose of this project was to monitor plant community changes and water quality before treatment and up to three years after treatment. There was a significant reduction in egeria frequency and biomass after the herbicide treatment. The diquat spread throughout the lake and persisted at low levels in the water column for at least two weeks after treatment. There was a slight decrease in surface water dissolved oxygen and water transparency after the herbicide treatment due to increased algae growth.

This study was published in the Journal of Aquatic Plant Management in the January 2007 issue.  Publication No. 07-03-030.

Use of fluridone to control Eurasian watermilfoil and Brazilian elodea in Loomis Lake, Washington.

In 2002 Loomis Lake (Pacific County, coastal southwest Washington) was treated with the slow-acting systemic herbicide fluridone to control both Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and Brazilian elodea (Egeria densa). We monitored the aquatic plant community before treatment and for three years after treatment.  The Department of Fish and Wildlife monitored the fish community during this same time period.  A paper presenting results from both studies has been published in the Journal of Aquatic Plant Management (January 2009 issue).  The abstract is below:

Lommis Lake

Loomis Lake, a long narrow shallow lake on the coast of Washington State, had a submersed plant community dominated by the invasive non-native species Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) and egeria (Egeria densa Planch.). In 2002, the whole lake was treated with the liquid formulation of the aquatic herbicide fluridone (1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4(1H)-pyridinone). We monitored aquatic plant frequency of occurrence and biomass before herbicide application (2002) and for 3 years after the treatment (2003 to 2005). The fish population was assessed one year prior to herbicide treatment (2001) and three years post treatment (2005). Prior to domination by invasive macrophytes, the lake had a diverse native plant community with low-growing species in the deep water providing open water. During that time the lake supported a stocked rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) and warmwater fishery.

As invasive macrophytes took over, the native plant richness decreased, the trout stocking program ceased, and small yellow perch (Perca flavescens Mitchill) dominated the fish community. The herbicide treatment resulted in a significant reduction in frequency (86% for egeria, 84% for Eurasian watermilfoil) and biomass (98% for egeria, 99% for Eurasian watermilfoil) of the invasive species for three years. The native submersed plant community was also significantly reduced for the study duration. We attributed this to fluridone use at a non-selective rate and poor light penetration caused by wind induced sediment entrainment. After treatment the growth of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacepede) and pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus Linnaeus) increased. In addition, the abundance of small yellow perch decreased while abundance of larger pumpkinseed sunfish increased.

This study was published in the Journal of Aquatic Plant Management in the January 2009 Issue. Publication No. 09-09-033.

Use of triclopyr to control Eurasian watermilfoil in Capitol Lake, Washington.

In 2004 Capitol Lake (Thurston County, City of Olympia) was treated with the selective herbicide triclopyr to control a burgeoning population of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). Aquatic plant data were collected by Ecology before treatment, and by Thurston County after treatment. The final data were collected in 2006. If you would like additional information on the project in the mean time, please contact Jenifer Parsons.

Population variations and augmentation of the milfoil weevil, Euhrychiopsis lecontei, a potential biological control agent for Eurasian watermilfoil.

Background:

The aquatic invasive non-native plant Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) has been in Washington State since at least 1965. Since that time it has been introduced to more than 90 lakes and reservoirs and many major rivers including the Columbia, Okanogan, Snake and Pend Oreille Rivers (distribution map).

When the distribution of an invasive non-native species reaches the proportions of Eurasian milfoil, biological control agents are often sought to aid in their management. (Biological control is the use of natural enemies such as insects to reduce the damage caused by a pest population such as an invasive non-native plant.)

The milfoil weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei) (a beetle in the family Curculionidae) has been implicated in causing declines of Eurasian milfoil in Midwestern and Northeastern States. This weevil is native to the northern part of the United States, including Washington (Tamayo and Grue 1996). The weevil’s native host is the native northern milfoil (Myriophyllum sibiricum), however, if the weevil is reared on Eurasian milfoil it will prefer it over northern milfoil. The weevils spend their entire life cycle on milfoil. The adults eat leaves on the growing tips, and larvae mine into the stem causing a reduction in plant buoyancy. An excellent summary of milfoil weevil life history and research is available through the milfoil biocontrol website.

During the later 1990’s Ecology’s Aquatic Weed Management Fund partially supported research on the milfoil weevil in Washington conducted at the University of Washington. Several papers have been published as a result of this work. (See list of publications below.)

As a result of the research conducted by the University of Washington, Ecology, and others, naturally occurring populations of the milfoil weevil are known from the following locations in Washington:

County Lake Name Year of milfoil weevil observation
Chelan Entiat Lake 1993
Chelan Wapato 1993
Douglas Pateros Lake 1993
Ferry Curlew Lake 1993, 1996, 1997, 2008
Grant Burke Lake 1999, 2002, 2005-2010
Grant Caliche Lake 2005
Grant Canal Lake 1996, 1997
Grant Corral Lake 1998, 1999
Grant Evergreen Lake 1997, 1998, 1999
Grant Priest Rapids Res 2004
Grant Quincy Lake 2003
Grant Stan Coffin Lake 1997, 1999, 2002 - 2005
Grant Warden Lake 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003
King Bass Lake 1999
King Meridian Lake 1999
King Sawyer Lake 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
King Star Lake 1999
King Washington 2009
Kittitas Lavender Lake 2003-2010
Kittitas Mattoon Lake 2007, 2008
Lincoln Fishtrap Lake 1996, 1997
Okanogan Osoyoos Lake 2010
Pend Oreille Davis Lake 1999
Pend Oreille Eloika Lake 2001, 2002
Pend Oreille Fan Lake 1997, 1999
Pend Oreille Horseshoe Lake 2010
Pend Oreille Sacheen Lake 1999
Spokane Badger Lake 1997, 1999
Spokane Chapman Lake 1999
Spokane Williams Lake 1996, 1997, 1999

Weevil Augmentation Project

During the summers of 2002 -2003 we conducted a weevil rearing and augmentation study to meet three objectives:

Augmentation site:

Mattoon Lake, located near the town of Ellensburg in Central Washington, was selected as the milfoil weevil introduction site. It is a small, shallow, man-made lake, with a maximum depth of about 5 m (16 ft). Aquatic plants grow throughout the lake.  At project inception Eurasian milfoil dominated the submersed plant community in water 2-12 feet deep.

Weevil collection:

Through the summers of 2002 and 2003 we collected adult weevils from Stan Coffin and Burke Lakes in Grant County each week for about 12 weeks by snorkeling.  The adult weevils were collected from M. sibiricum (northern milfoil) plants throughout the summer of 2002.  The peak collection time was the end of July through the end of August, when an experienced snorkeler could collect at a rate of about one weevil per minute.  Often there were two or three weevils per milfoil stem; a density thought to be great enough to control M. spicatum growth (In fact, Eurasian milfoil is present in both lakes, but difficult to find.).

In fall 2002, we continued to monitor weevil activity in Stan Coffin Lake until they abandoned the plants for their over-wintering habitat on shore. The weevils were still evident, though in reduced numbers, in mid-October with a water temperature of 55˚ F (13˚ C). By November 1, 2002, the weevils were very difficult to locate with only one weevil found in 20 minutes of snorkeling; the water temperature was 43˚ F (6˚ C).

Weevil rearing:

The captured weevils were kept in aquariums at the Fish and Wildlife Department buildings in Yakima for between 5 and 14 days. (see weevil rearing document for more details on raising weevils). At the end of the rearing period we counted the numbers of eggs, larvae and adults. Then the weevils and their progeny were introduced into Mattoon Lake at designated release sites. From a small boat, we wound the milfoil pieces on which the weevils were clinging around existing surfacing milfoil  at the release sites in the lake. This cycle of rearing and release continued throughout the summers.

Monitoring:

To monitor the milfoil weevil population at Mattoon Lake, two methods were used: a qualitative check for adult weevils and characteristic damage on milfoil plants, and quantitative sampling at points throughout the lake. For the qualitative check, experienced weevil-hunting snorkelers conducted three 20-minute visual searches in selected areas of the lake, including those sites chosen for weevil introduction.  The quantitative data were obtained by collecting milfoil stems from designated locations in the lake.  In the lab each plant was inspected for presence of all weevil life stages and weevil damage using a dissecting microscope.  These data were collected prior to weevil release and at the end of summer in 2002, and again in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2008.

Aquatic plants at Mattoon Lake were monitored using both plant biomass and frequency data.  Biomass was collected by a SCUBA diver.  Samples were separated by species and dried and weighed.  Frequency data were collected at points on a 30 m grid covering the whole lake.  Data were collected before initial weevil introductions occurred and every year since except 2006 for frequency data and in 2003, 2004, and 2008 for biomass.

The fish community was sampled by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.  Sampling occurred at the end of May 2002 before any weevil stocking had begun.  The species composition of the community was assessed by electroshocking.  At that time stomach samples from each species that reached a size big enough to consume adult weevils as part of their diet (i.e., the sunfish, bass, perch, and trout) were also collected.  The stomach contents from a subset of the fish caught by eletroshocking were flushed into a sample container and preserved in ethanol.  Samples were analyzed in the lab by a contracted macroinvertebrate specialist.  The fish community was again assessed in fall 2007 without the diet analysis, and again in 2008 with the diet analysis.  Those data are undergoing evaluation.

Results:

There was no sign of weevil establishment in Mattoon Lake at the end of 2002.   The Department of Fish and Wildlife fish population inventory in spring 2002 revealed that Mattoon Lake had a very dense population of small pumpkinseed sunfish (Divens 2003). Other studies had found that pumpkinseed and bluegill sunfish will eat milfoil weevil adults (Sutter and Newman 1977; Lord et al 2003). Thus, we suspected that the pumpkinseed in Mattoon Lake suppressed widespread establishment of the weevils we introduced.

For our work in 2003 we decided to set up a fish exclosure cage resembling one Dr. Ray Newman and his students had used in similar studies in Minnesota (Newman 2003). We built the 10 ft x 10 ft exclosure frame from pvc pipe and surrounded it with fish netting suspended by floats at the top and held in place with weights at the bottom to keep fish out of the study area. We then set traps and angled to catch any fish that were caught inside the exclosure.  Most weevils in 2003 were stocked inside the exclosure.

We observed adult weevils in the exclosure from previous releases toward summer’s end, but the population never established enough to control the milfoil. At the end of summer (2003) we removed the exclosure. In the summer of 2004 we snorkeled where the exclosure had been and found a few adult weevils in the area, however, again they did not seem to persist or establish in numbers great enough to control the milfoil.

Through the weevil monitoring, we found no evidence of an established milfoil weevil population from plants collected in 2005.  We did find evidence of stem damage and leaf grazing, especially on the lower branches, likely caused by other herbivorous insects.  In 2007 and 2008 milfoil weevils and stem damage characteristic of milfoil weevil grazing were observed.

Plant monitoring data show a steady decline in Eurasian milfoil biomass and frequency since the start of this project.  It is possible that in the years between 2002 and 2007, the weevils were persisting in low numbers until the population could build to a noticeable level.  There was also evidence of grazing by other macroinvertebrates during the interim that could have suppressed the milfoil growth.

In 2009 Matton Lake was treated with herbicide to attempt to eradicate the Eurasian milfoil, so the study was suspended at that time.  The data have been analyzed and a manuscript submitted for publication.

Citations

Divens, M. 2002 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Spokane Office. Personal communication.

Hanson, T., C. Eliopoulos, and A. Walker. 1995. Field collection, laboratory rearing and in-lake introductions of the herbivorous aquatic weevil, Euhrychiopsis lecontei, in Vermont: Year 2. Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Waterbury, VT. 41 pp.

Lord, P.H., J.G. Wells, and A.L. Armstrong. 2003. BFS Technical Report #21: Establishing a connection: a survey of Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), its insect herbivores and fish in eight Madison County lakes. Suny Oneonta Biological Field Station; Cooperstown, NY. 46 pp.

Newman, R. 2003. University of Minnesota. Personal communication.

Sutter, T. J., and R. M. Newman. 1997. Is predation by sunfish (Lepomis spp.) an important source of mortality for the Eurasian watermilfoil biocontrol agent Euhrychiopsis lecontei ? Journal of Freshwater Ecology 12: 225-234.

Tamayo, M. and C. Grue. 1996. Evaluation of the native status in North America for the weevil Euhrychiopsis lecontei. University of Washington cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. Seattle, WA

List of publications on weevils in Washington:

Tamayo, M. and C. Grue. 2004. Developmental performance of the milfoil weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on watermilfoils in Washington State. Environ. Entomol. 33(4): 872-880.

Tamayo, M., C. Grue and K. Hamel. 2004. Densities of the milfoil weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei) on native and exotic watermilfoils. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 19(2): 203-211.

Tamayo, M., C. Grue, and K. Hamel. 2000. The relationship between water quality, watermilfoil frequency, and weevil distribution in the State of Washington. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 38: 112-116.

Tamayo, M. 2003. Developmental performance, abundance and habitat of the milfoil weevil, Euhrychiopsis lecontei, in Washington State. PhD Dissertation. University of Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. Seattle, WA

Population dynamics of curly leaf pondweed and Eurasian watermilfoil during one year in the Columbia River (Crescent Bar)

The objective of this project was to see if the non-native plant curly leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) was a significant component of the plant community and if so, to see how the population changed over the growing season.

Crescent Bar is located on the Columbia River in central Washington. It is about 20 miles downstream of Wenatchee in Grant County. It is a resort area with a small marina and boat access located on the protected side of an island formed by a large sand bar. It is a heavily used recreation area, particularly in spring and summer months. Sampling stations were located along three transects, one at the north end of the island close to the main river, the second was near the boat launch/marina and the third was on the back (east) side of the island.

Sampling began in early April 2005, and continued monthly through late October 2005. Sample points were located approximately 20 meters apart along the transects and returned to each visit by using a GPS (Global Positioning System). At each point samples were collected by tossing a sampling rake four times and recording the species collected with each toss.

Below is a table of the percent of rake samples where the most common species were present.

 
% frequency
Date Curly Leaf pondweed Eurasian milfoil American waterweed (Elodea canadensis) Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum)
04/05/2005 18 11 50 23
05/06/2005 30 14 55 18
06/07/2005 48 18 55 23
07/08/2005 43 23 75 32
08/05/2005 16 30 57 27
09/19/2005 0 36 70 20
10/20/2005 0 32 55 32

These data indicate that at least in this rather confined area of the Columbia River, the curly leaf pondweed was at its greatest frequency in June and July, then declined to the point of not being collected in any of the samples by fall (though it could still be found as a rare small plant in places other than the sample points, so it wasn’t completely gone). This is similar to what has been found in the Midwest (Catling and Dobson 1985), although the die-off appeared to happen a little later in the summer here. This could be due to cooler water temperatures in the Columbia River than in areas studied in the Midwest (Madsen 2005) (surface water temperature was; early June 14° C, early August 20° C). The Eurasian milfoil was most frequently collected toward the end of the summer, but its distribution was patchy. The dominant plant throughout the summer was American waterweed (Elodea canadensis), a common native species. Another native plant, coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), was common and tended to dominate in the deeper water. In general, the plant growth in the study area was quite dense, especially in July and August, but it was a mix of the above four common species and other less common native plants. It was not a monoculture of any one of them.

Citations

Catling, P.M., I. Dobson. 1985. The biology of Canadian weeds 69 Potamogeton crispus L. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 65: 655-668

Madsen, J.D. 2005. Mississippi State University. Personal communication.

Who to contact for more information on this page

For more information about aquatic plants, algae, and lakes, see the Water Quality Program.