Manatees to be used to control Hydrilla growth in Columbia lakes

    Keeping our lakes healthy can sometimes take on some interesting approaches. 

 Remember when dogs were used to control the geese population at Lake Kittamaqundi?  

     All that geese dropping flowed into the lake and fouled the health of the water.  Now another use of animals will try and control the growth of hydrilla in our lakes.

   Many of us have seen the hydrilla mowers used on our lakes to control the growth of hydrilla that makes our shallow lakes less sustainable for fish and other animals that live in our lakes.  While these mowers are somewhat effective in controlling the growth of hydrilla this year a new approach will be tried that is even more environmentally friendly.

     Many Southern states have turned to the use of manatees for control of the hydrilla.  According to the April Ewell, spokesperson for Manatees 911 the company that leases the manatees, the average manatee can consume 80 pounds of hydrilla a day.  For a lake the size of Lake Elkhorn a group of 10 manatees would easily control the growth of hydrilla in the lake.

   With the cooler water of our lakes the manatees will have to be brought out of the water each night and held in warming tanks like the one shown above.  

     Let the "ungreening" of Columbia's lakes begin.

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