Spokane County to get invasive plant eradication funds

OLYMPIA — Twelve projects across Washington are getting money to help control invasive weeds in lakes. The state Department of Ecology said Wednesday that invasive aquatic plants can choke out native plants, put swimmers and boaters at risk and lead to a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Some of the grants will go toward controlling milfoil, a plant that forms dense mats of vegetation on the surface of lakes and other water bodies. The projects are in King, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Yakima and Whatcom counties.