Or Parks and Wildlife since any treatment has to be permitted by them. On the approved list does not mean it’s ok to just buy some and start throwing it in the water. It means these are the chemicals you can use once you get approval from the TPWD.

When Lake Austin was severely damaged as a fishery by the homeowner's association, the dubiously-named "Friends" of Lake Austin (FOLA), TPWD most definitely had a misguided hand in the operation. The introduction of Asian grass carp in numbers 10 times the amount needed to control, rather than destroy, the vegetation in the lake, TPWD dropped the ball and the result is what we now have. Skinny bass swimming around looking for habitat that doesn't exist anymore.

I love the link shown. It’s a real estate company & while you view it a pop up comes on asking if they can be of assistance. Everyone should flood it with questions daily. Site says they’re also a Lake aquatic weed management company. Ask for the records of applicators,actual application rates & IF the LCRA form was filled out & filed for approval. I personally think the aquatic weed management statement is a dummy company setup by a real estate company to sell property. They EVEN offer granular applications that the homeowners can purchase & apply. You KNOW they’re gonna follow label directions to the letter!!! LOL

So I contacted Dave Bass at the LCRA (ironic..yes I know) and sent him a few brief questions as follows:

My basic questions are pretty simple and straightforward: 1) is anyone at the LCRA aware that homeowners on Lake LBJ are putting chemicals directly into the lake? 2) Is LCRA aware of what kind of chemicals are being used and in what quantities? 3) Was there any kind of request submitted for permission to the use of these chemicals given to LCRA by ANY homeowners on Lake LBJ, and if so who was it submitted to? 4) Who, if anyone monitors what kind of chemicals, the level of chemicals in the water, and in what quantities are being uses? Thank you for your time.

Randy Smith

His answers were as follows:

Randy,



Here are the answers to your numbered questions:



1) Yes, we are aware chemicals are being used for nuisance aquatic vegetation and filamentous algae control.

2) For the most part, yes. Many landowners contact us for clarification and recommendations. There are always people who think they know best and bypass the system. Treatment of any aquatic vegetation, excluding algae, is required to have an approved vegetation treatment proposal from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

3) In the past, when Eurasian watermilfoil had taken over the lake, LCRA implemented a treatment zone plan. Once the milfoil was under control, that plan was disbanded. Now, the approval for treatment comes from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. LCRA maintains a voluntary notification system via a dedicated email box, but few people use it now.

4) As far as quantities and type - Texas Parks and Wildlife requires anyone wanting to treat vegetation to submit the location, name of the chemical and the amount planned to be used on its approval form. The chemicals approved for use have a short lifetime in the water due to degradation by sunlight and microbial activity. To my knowledge, unless there is visible damage to non-targeted plants, no routine monitoring for pesticides is performed. Should monitoring be deemed necessary, LCRA would most likely be the agency who collects the samples.



Let me know if you have any other questions.

Just read the response you got fivebites and can't believe what I just read. Will comment on this in coming days. I applaud your getting to the bottom of this.