Cutting Milfoil with the Lake Mower™

Milfoil is an aggressive, non-native water weed which is now flourishing throughout the U.S. This weed chokes out native plants and spreads rapidly to new areas.

How Does Milfoil Get Started In a Lake or River?

Milfoil reproduces by a process called “fragmentation.” Milfoil plants easily break into small pieces and each piece can form roots. A single wisp can multiply into 250 million new plants in one year. Milfoil is readily spread between lakes and rivers by boaters carrying plant fragments on their boats and trailers.

Remove Eurasian Water Milfoil

Preventing a milfoil invasion involves various efforts. Public awareness of the necessity to remove weed fragments at boat landings, a commitment to protect native plant beds from speed boaters and indiscriminate plant control that disturbs these beds, and a watershed management program to keep nutrients from reaching lakes and stimulating milfoil colonies – all are necessary to prevent the spread of milfoil.

Monitoring and prevention are the most important steps for keeping Eurasian water milfoil under control. A sound precautionary measure is to check all equipment used in infested waters and remove all aquatic vegetation upon leaving the lake or river. All equipment, including boats, motors, trailers, and fishing/diving equipment, should be free of aquatic plants.

Lake managers and lakeshore owners should check for new colonies and control them before they spread. The plants can be hand pulled or raked. It is imperative that all fragments be removed from the water and the shore. Plant fragments can be used in upland areas as a garden mulch.