Invasive milfoil found in Lake LBJ

HORSESHOE BAY — As temperatures rise, so do the number of visitors to the Highland Lakes, including some unwelcome guests that have shown up recently in Lake LBJ.

Large amounts of milfoil have been found in Lake LBJ the past couple of weeks.

Some residents have mistaken the leafy vegetation for hydrilla, a more destructive invasive aquatic plant.

Lower Colorado River Authority biologists have conducted field inspections in Horseshoe Bay and confirmed that the vegetation in question is milfoil, not hydrilla.

Milfoil is an invasive plant originally from Europe and Asia that is rooted in the lake bed and seldom breaks the surface of the water.

It typically appears in Lake LBJ as the water warms. Milfoil feeds off nutrients in the water and can thrive off fertilizer washed into the lake from nearby yards.

Milfoil is not dangerous, but it can be a nuisance to boaters or swimmers. The milfoil currently in Lake LBJ is often mixed with algae, which tends to cluster around the milfoil.

There are methods to treat milfoil in specific areas, but it should only be done by a lake-management professional who has worked with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on an approved treatment plan.

A list of lake management professionals is at aquaplant.tamu.edu/applicators.