Powderhorn Lake will be treated for invasive plant

An invasive aquatic weed native to South America and common in the aquarium trade has been found in Powderhorn Lake in south Minneapolis, the Department of Natural Resources said on Tuesday.

By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune

Last update: November 21, 2007 - 1:26 PM

An invasive aquatic weed native to South America and common in the aquarium trade has been found in Powderhorn Lake in south Minneapolis, the Department of Natural Resources said on Tuesday.

A lake specialist with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board spotted Brazilian elodea while surveying aquatic vegetation in the lake. The plant, which also is known as Egeria densa or Brazilian waterweed, produces densely tangled mats similar to Eurasian milfoil, which can get tangled in boat props, interfere with swimming and crowd out native plants, the DNR said.

It's unclear how the plant arrived in the lake, but elodea is commonly sold as an aquarium plant. DNR officials suspect that somebody dumped the contents of an aquarium into the lake, thus introducing the harmful plant. In previous inspections, limnologists - people who study freshwater lakes - have found goldfish in the lake, leading them to believe that in the past people have dumped contents from aquariums into the lake at 34th Street and 15th Avenue S.

State law prohibits the release of unwanted plants or animals into lakes or streams. DNR officials say people with aquatic plants should dispose of them by sealing them in plastic bags and putting them in the trash.

The DNR and the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board will apply herbicide to eliminate elodea from Powderhorn Lake and prevent its spread to other lakes, officials from both agencies said.

Tim Harlow • harlow@startribune.com

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