Herbicide Spraying Planned for Eagleville Lake

The Town of Coventry and the Town of Mansfield have received a grant from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to proceed with an herbicide treatment program to control non-native fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana) in Eagleville Lake this summer.

Fanwort is a highly invasive aquatic plant which degrades fish and wildlife habitat, adversely affects water quality and displaces beneficial, native vegetation. The dense growth of fanwort can also impede safe recreational use of the water body.

A public information session will be held at the Eagleville Firehouse, 879 Stafford Rd. (Rte 32), Mansfield, on Wednesday, June 10 at 7 p.m. Representatives from both towns and the contractor who will be conducting the herbicide treatments are scheduled to attend the session.

The herbicide Clipper is scheduled to be used to control the vegetation on Tuesday, June 23.

Following treatment on June 23, the lake will be closed to all uses, including swimming and boating until June 24. Additionally, use of the lake water for irrigation, domestic purposes or livestock watering will be restricted for 5 days or until June 29. Prior to treatment, the shoreline will be posted with signs in accordance with DEEP requirements.

For information or questions, contact Eric M. Trott in Coventry at 860-742-4062 or etrott@coventryct.org or Jennifer Kaufman in Mansfield at 860-429-3015, ext. 6204 or kaufmanjs@mansfieldct.org

Photo: Cabomba caroliniana via water-blog.com on Flickr.com.