Attack On Milfoil Planned For June

The Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District is preparing another chemical attack on the lake’s underwater menace.

Sewer and water district officials plan to launch a second 2,4-D treatment of Eurasian milfoil in June.

Left unchecked, the aquatic weed spreads quickly and can overtake lakes.

Director Lee Mellish said divers have found two patches of milfoil that were probably missed last summer - one at the south end of the lake near the county park and another on the northeast edge of the lake.

“Once the stuff gets a hold it’s really difficult, if not impossible, to get rid of,” Mellish said.

At first, officials tried to control the milfoil problem by hiring divers who pulled the weed by hand. But the milfoil infestation exploded two years ago.

District officials began using the chemical treatment last year after a new state law relaxed the rules for using 2,4-D treatment to control milfoil.

Mellish said granular 2,4-D is applied to the base of the plants, and generally kills only the milfoil.

“The good news is that we were able to treat the milfoil and it didn’t seem to have any affect on the other aquatic plants,” he said.

District officials will notify Liberty Lake residents 21 days before the chemical treatment is applied. A specific date has not been set. They plan to place notices at public access points and in the newspaper. The areas treated will be marked with buoys.

Residents should not drink water from the treated areas or swim there for about two days after the herbicide is applied.

Sewer and water district commissioners approved a contract Thursday with Resource Management Inc. of Medical Lake for milfoil treatment. The same company handled last year’s 2,4-D application.