What you Can and Can't Do in public waters
The best way to prevent problems in public or private water bodies is with prevention. Don't put any nonnative plants, fish, pets or other organisms into any waterbody. Check boat trailers, boat hulls and propellers. Rinse and remove aquatic plants or invertebrate hitchhikers such as snails. Don't dump aquarium contents in lakes, channels or other water bodies. Replace invasive and other non-native plants in your yard with native species.
What you can do!
- Identify your plants using the Illegal Aquatic Plants of SC booklet distributed by SCDNR.
- You can use mechanical devices such
as weed rakes or cutters. - You can cover the bottom with weed mats.
- You can manually pull up problematic vegetation.
- You can hire a mechanical harvester.
- E-mail the SCDES Aquatic Nuisance Species Program for information about aquatic weed problems in public waters - invasiveweeds@des.sc.gov.
- Good link to weed rakes and devices for homeowners-Weeders Digest.com
What you can't do!
- Never dispose of or plant invasive species in any waterbody. (There are laws which prohibit the transport or spreading of certain species of plants!)
- Never stock grass carp into a public waterbody.
(It is against the law, you could be fined !) - Don't remove grass carp from a public waterbody.
(It is against the law, you could be fined !) - Never apply herbicides to a public waterbody.
(It is against the law, you could be fined or sued!)- South Carolina Law requires individuals to possess a Commercial Pesticide Applicators License in Category 5, Aquatic Pest Control, before they apply aquatic herbicides if the work is done for compensation on the property of another.
- A license is also required, regardless of ownership, if the application is made to an area where public access to the treated site is expected. Private swimming lakes, where the public would be exposed to the treated waters, are the most obvious example of the latter requirement.
- On all public facilities, such as golf courses, driving ranges, subdivisions, condominium/apartment complexes and mobile home parks, applicators are required to possess a Category 5 License to apply aquatic pesticides.
Links:
Clemson Home and Garden Information Center
HGIC 1706 Water Gardening in Containers
HGIC 1707 Aquatic Garden Pond & Pool Construction
HGIC 1708 Algae Problems in Water Gardens
HGIC 1709 Aquatic Plant Selection
HGIC 1710 Fertilizing Recreational Fish Ponds
HGIC 1711 Liming Recreational Ponds
HGIC 1712 Stocking & Harvesting Recreational Fish Ponds
HGIC 1713 Use of Rotenone for Management of Fish Populations
HGIC 1714 Aquatic Weed Control Overview
HGIC 1715 Biological Control of Aquatic Weeds
HGIC 1720 Chemical Control of Aquatic Weeds