Lake Murray Will Reopen for Boating

For more than a decade, boating has been banned on Lake Murray. The reason? Hydrilla, a pesky green weed that infested the lake’s waters, threatening to kill fish and stall powerboat engines.

But a few years back, the city embarked on an effort to defeat the dreaded plant, which has been dubbed the “green monster” because of its tenacity. Divers began using large vacuum hoses attached to a makeshift dredge to suck the weed, roots and all, out of the lake.

The war against hydrilla has all but been won.

On Saturday, Lake Murray will reopen to limited boating for the first time in years, allowing visitors to rent rowboats or skiffs with electric motors.

Since the weed still plagues some sections of the lake, boaters will have to be wary of where they pilot the craft. In addition, private boats are still prohibited because of fears that a fragment of the weed could stick to the craft and spread the infestation to other lakes or waterways.

Those sorts of fears have also prompted officials to ban any fishing gear from boats. Nonetheless, fishing is still allowed from specific areas along the shoreline.

The restrictions have kept anglers from reaching several spots on the lake, but fishermen have managed to harvest a respectable catch in recent months. Councilwoman Judy McCarty, whose district includes Lake Murray, said a bass weighing more than 7 pounds was pulled out Sunday, the first day of the 1988 season on the lake.

Another Step

“The reinstatement of boating is another step toward full restoration of recreational activities at Lake Murray,” McCarty said.

She cautioned boaters and fishermen to stay within authorized areas. Authorities warn that a fisherman’s hook or a boat propeller could easily dislodge a piece of hydrilla, which could quickly take root in an uncontaminated zone of the lake.

“We’ve worked too hard to reverse the gains we’ve made,” McCarty said.

Noted for its abundant roots and tendency to kill fish by depleting the oxygen in the water, hydrilla resembles aquarium grass and can grow up to two inches a day. Native to South America, the plant clogs waterways and lakes across the country. The infestation is particularly bad in Florida, where they spend more than $8 million annually to fight it.

In this area, hydrilla was first discovered in the All-American Canal in Imperial County in June, 1977. Soon after, the weed turned up in Lake Murray and quickly took hold.

Authorities tried killing off the weed by spraying various chemicals on the lake, but those efforts failed. At times, the mat of hydrilla grew so thick that ducks could walk atop the lake. Dejected city officials figured that Lake Murray, like so many lakes and canals in Florida, was doomed to die.

Then someone came up with the idea of the vacuum approach, and the city quickly began to make headway. Although half the lake was infested with the hardy weed in 1979, only a few dozen plants remain today.

As proof of the gains that have been made, the local Kiwanis are planning a “kids fishing derby” on the lake on April 2, the first time since 1976 that such an event will be held, according to McCarty.

“Though fishing is still restricted to specific shoreline area, the big ones are waiting to be outsmarted by anglers,” she said.