Vol. 15—1961 - NorthEastern Weed Science Society

549.
-
CONTROLOF EURASIANMILFOIL, Myrioy~llum spicatum a
in LAKEHOPATCONG,NEW sEt
INTRODUCTION
Amos W. Horrocks
Roland F. Smithll
When Lake Hopatcong was surveyed by the Division of Fish
and Game in 1950, (Renlund, 1950), thirty-six species of rooted
aquatic plants were collected. None was considered a nuisance,
though one species identified only to the genus Myriophyllum was
recorded as occurring "f'f'equent.Ly , It No one could fores ee its in­
crease to where it would greatly restrict the lake's recreational
use, and conseauently become a serious detriment to the many
businesses surrounding this largest and most popular of New Jersey
lakes.
By 1957 milfoil was occurring in sufficient abundance to
cause complaints from lake front owners and boating enthusiasts.
Test plots to evaluate the effectiveness of some of the newer
herbicides were set up during the summers of 1957· and 1958,
(Younger 1959)l!. By 1958 fishermen were more frequent in adding
their voice to the complaining groups and the weed problem had
reached serious proportions.
In the Fall of 1958 Commissioner Salvatore A. Bontempo;
head of the Department of Conservation and Economic Development,
appointed a group of local citizens to the Lake Hopatcong Advisory
Committee. State personnel were assigned as consultants to this
committee. The weed situation was one of the first problems taken
under consideration by this committee and recommendations were made
for active state support.
17 Conservation Officer and PrincipRl -Fisher~e§ Biologist, Division
of Fish and Game. Fisheries Research and Development Section,
Bureau of Fisheries, Misc. Report #23.
2/ This work was financed by Federal Aid to Fish and Wildlife Funds,
- Dingell-Johnson.