Alligator weed is still here in this New Year!
Bill Norris thinks we have made good progress in
2010 and we have but we need to do better in 2011
to get rid of it.
Bill has contracted with Jimmy Droze who does excellent
work in clearing our rivers of fallen trees. This alone will be a giant step
forward too, as it will free hung up alligatorweed to float down with the
current to reach salt water where it will be killed.
Another Giant Step forward was Hurricane Nichole and the long period
of rain preceding it. If this fallen tree had been removed before Nichole
all this dead and dying alligator weed have been gone too.
This floating alligatorweed is hung up on on small brush along the shore.
This small batch is hung up on a single stob!
The picture on the left is of small brush hanging up alligatorweed along the shore.
The one on the right is of alligatorweed hung up on the railroad bridge on the three support piers
on the east end of the bridge. This area is blocked by a huge stump which has been there for years
and two large logs too.
We found green alligatorweed on the road surface of this bridge on earlier paddles after Nichole. .
This is both fallen trees and alligatoweed hung up
around the first bend in the river upstream of the bridge.
In 2010 we did get all floating alligatorweed moving down stream with the current
as far upstream as Rte 17 bridge.
We came close to getting it all down to salt water where it would have been killed.
In 2011 we plan to reach that goal befor March 15 when Bill will begin spraying again.
All he will have to spray in the main channel is what is routed on land.
We will be playing games to do this. All with canoes and kayaks and small john boats can participate too.
Larger motor boats and fisherman can participate too as far upstream as they care to operate.
Stay tuned. Elmer