UPDATE: On September 16th, 2020, the Athens Municipal Water Authority (AMWA) issued the following press release confirming a second infestation of Giant Salvinia on Lake Athens:
“ATHENS, TEXAS – On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week the biologists from the Aquatic Habitat Enhancement team with Texas Parks and Wildlife conducted a comprehensive vegetation survey of the shoreline of Lake Athens.
It has been confirmed that small amounts of Giant Salvinia have been found on Lake Athens. TPWD is currently formulating a treatment and containment plan.
The Athens Municipal Water Authority will release more details as TPWD confirms further information.”
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department posted a news release on February 21, 2018 stating that the extremely invasive, non-native plant, giant salvinia, had been found in multiple locations near the Lake Athens Marina boat ramp.
From the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department news release of February 21, 2018:
Giant Salvinia Close-up © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) inland fisheries staff found in total, less than 1 acre of invasive giant salvinia in multiple locations near Lake Athens Marina boat ramp Feb. 19.
The day following the giant salvinia discovery at Lake Athens, the TPWD Brookeland aquatic habitat enhancement team (AHE) surveyed the impacted area and deployed a containment boom from just west of the boat ramp across the cove to the Athens Municipal Water Authority (AMWA) office.
According to Brookeland AHE team lead John Findeisen, the boom will contain as much of the giant salvinia infestation as possible, assisting with the management of this aggressive, non-native plant.
“The containment boom is a critical component of our rapid response efforts to eradicate giant salvinia at Lake Athens,” Findeisen said. “Concentrating giant salvinia in an area helps prevent further spread and increases the efficiency and effectiveness of herbicide treatments, which is the next phase of our response at Lake Athens. Following that we should know fairly soon if eradication is a real possibility at the lake.”
With the largemouth bass and crappie spawns around the corner, anglers can still access the enclosed area to fish by crossing the boom only in spots that are clear of giant salvinia. The AHE team recommends anglers idle over the boom until the outboard motor gets close, then kill and raise the motor and ease over the boom with a trolling motor, paddle or push pole. [******]
The proximity of the Lake Athens’ infestation to the boat ramp leads biologists to believe giant salvinia was introduced by a boater or angler carrying the invasive species on their boat or equipment.
Giant Salvinia on Boat Trailer © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
This is just an extract of the news release. You can read the entire release here: https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20180221b
[******] While we greatly appreciate the efforts of TPWD’s Brookeland AHE team to eradicate this menace from Lake Athens, explaining to visiting anglers and other boaters (who undoubtedly brought the salvinia in in the first place) how to cross the boom so they can fish in the infested area, then cross back over the boom and spread it to the rest of the lake MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER!!!!!
If you’re a visiting fisherman or other boater who comes to Lake Athens, we beg of you, PLEASE clean, drain and dry your boats and equipment before launching at Lake Athens, and PLEASE DO NOT CROSS THE BOOM INTO THE INFESTED AREA!
According to Findeisen: “Since there are several lakes in the surrounding area containing giant salvinia, it is imperative for boaters and anglers clean, drain and dry their boats and equipment before launching at Lake Athens. It only takes a few minutes to remove any vegetation from boats and trailers, pull the livewell and drain plugs, and dry the boat with a towel. A few extra minutes spent doing this can eliminate giant salvinia related issues for many years at Lake Athens.”
Help us preserve and protect our beautiful Lake Athens!
Giant Salvinia infestation in Caddo Lake – Feb 2006 © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
