Lake weeds hinder some, help others

Anyone who has been on Pickwick Lake lately likely has noticed the huge beds of aquatic weeds that are choking some parts of the reservoir.

The weeds, primarily southern naiad and hydrilla, are exotic species that create massive beds of weeds in shallow areas of the lake, primarily from Brush Creek Park downstream to near Pickwick Dam.

The Tennessee Valley Authority blames low water flows this summer because of the extreme drought for causing the water weeds to grow profusely.

The low flows create clear water that allows sunlight to penetrate to where the weeds grow.

The federal utility hoped this spring and summer would be rainy and plenty of water would be flowing down the Tennessee River, making it difficult for the aquatic weeds to grow.

Instead, it's one of the driest years ever and weeds, which began appearing en masse last fall, are growing rapidly.

TVA officials say there is little the utility can do to slow the growth of the weeds other than to hope for rain.

With more water flowing through the reservoir, it would be less suitable for the growth of aquatic weeds.

Many anglers welcome TVA's plan to not attempt to eradicate the water weeds. Weed beds can create excellent habitat for bass and other gamefish.

Fisheries biologists and anglers often attribute the abundance of big largemouth bass on Guntersville Lake to the massive amount of aquatic weeds growing there.

Many boaters, water skiers, shoreline home owners and other lake users lament the water weeds in Guntersville Lake.

While the weeds can be a boon to fishing, they can hamper other aquatic activities.

Numerous users of Pickwick Lake complained to TVA when the aquatic weeds began causing problems for boating and other activities.

The complainants were told there was little that could be done, but if rainfall returned to normal and more water flowed down the Tennessee River, many of the weeds would die.

That rainfall never came. The aquatic weeds have been growing profusely this summer, causing problems for some residents and boaters.

Some lakeside residents say weeds make it difficult to access their boat docks.

On the other hand, some anglers contend the weeds will lead to a bass-fishing bonanza in coming years that will keep the lake producing trophy-size fish.

While it might be impossible for TVA to eradicate the weeds, perhaps it should stage meetings in the Shoals to listen to the concerns of area residents and develop some possible solutions.

By working together, TVA and lake users could develop a plan for ways to live with the aquatic weeds without causing an undue hardship on anyone.

In the meantime, perhaps we should pray for rain, which could cause much of the weed problem to go away.

Dennis Sherer can reached at 740-5746 or dennis.sherer@timesdaily.com.