Eurasian Milfoil Removal from Martis Creek Lake

Project Sponsor: AlpenGroup
Grant amount: $20,550
Organization Match: $4,450 (cash) and $2,400 (in-kind)
Funding date: April 2010
Grant #68

This project involves the purchase and placement of black cloth barriers within Martis Creek Lake as a method to reduce, control and eventually eradicate Eurasian Milfoil in Martis Creek Lake. The previous attempted method of control, the aquatic mowing of the weed, proved to be unsuccessful. Research has shown that the black cloth barrier method will prove effective for milfoil control. This method should also prove flexible as the barriers can be moved from time to time using divers. The project will be managed and directed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

TMWA Benefit:
Milfoil has become more and more of a troublesome invasive weed on the Truckee River System, including upstream reservoirs. If allowed to go uncontrolled, milfoil can cause serious damage to the fishery, can decrease dissolved oxygen levels and can increase water temperatures. Milfoil has become a maintenance problem at TMWA plant intakes and has the potential for seriously inhibiting flow past fish screens and into the Chalk Bluff and Glendale Water Treatment Plants. This work at Martis Creek, if proven successful, has the potential to be used at other upstream reservoirs and Lake Tahoe, thereby reducing the milfoil threat to TMWA facilities.