Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is advising the public that Silver Spring Lake in North Kingstown will receive a follow-up treatment to control noxious weed infestation on Tuesday, October 30. The initial treatment in June significantly reduced the infestations of milfoil and fanwort, whose dense weed beds and foliage outcompete native aquatic vegetation that are important habitat for fish and food sources for waterfowl and some mammals.
The treatment will be conducted by Solitude Lake Management LLC, the company contracted for the earlier treatment. Because there has been substantial regrowth of milfoil and fanwort, the lake will be treated using the herbicides Reward and Clipper as in the initial treatment. Anglers and boaters are advised to avoid using the lake on this day.
The restriction of use will be posted as follows:
• No use for irrigation for 5 days • No direct drinking for 3 days • 1-day restriction for livestock watering • There are no restrictions for swimming and fishing other than the day of treatment.
The Silver Spring Lake fishing access and boat ramp along with the Shady Lea Grove picnic area are owned by DEM and are popular with anglers and boaters. This lake is stocked with trout several times during the year. DEM will not stock additional trout until treatments are concluded for the year.
To prevent the spread of invasive weeds and other harmful aquatic "hitch hikers," Rhode Island strictly prohibits the use of external felt soled or any natural or synthetic porous material capable of absorbing water in any freshwaters in the state. This includes any waters shared with adjacent states in which Rhode Island fishing regulations apply. Fanwort spreads by fragmenting. Its invasion of fresh water bodies in New England is attributed to boats, trailers, live-wells, boat bilges, and fishing equipment carrying fragments of it from other, already-compromised water bodies. For these reasons, DEM recommends that all boaters thoroughly clean their vessels and equipment of attached weeds before and after using Rhode Island lakes, ponds, and rivers at a distance away from these freshwaters.
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