Weed Invasion at Local Lake

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Story Published: Jun 9, 2009 at 12:01 AM PDT

By Stacy Lilienthal

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"No swimming allowed." That's the message posted all along a popular Ellensburg lake that is being treated for a weed invasion.

Daniel Martinez, a local fisherman, says the growth is taking over Mattoon Lake: "It's just weeds everywhere, along the docks and along the banks.

Mark Johnson, another angler said, "There's a lot of stuff you pick up on your line as you reel it in."

So Monday, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife dumped 380 gallons of chemicals into the 26 acre lake.

Yellow flag irises are just one of the many weeds they're trying to get rid of. David Heimer with the Washington Fish and Wildlife said, "It limits the access to the shoreline if people want to fish."

After dumping the chemical, warning signs went up telling swimmers to stay out until at least Wednesday so the chemicals can settle. But Heimer said fishing is fine. "It's not an issue for fish, and they can be eaten. It's really just the contact the swimmers would have (that is dangerous)."

$70,000 in grants make the clean-up possible. The money will also pay for the previous treatment of Fio Rito Lakes three miles south of Ellensburg.

Checking the progress there with an underwater camera is set for Tuesday. If either lake needs another treatment, the public will get advance notification.

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