In response to last week\u2019s Mayor\u2019s Corner article which stated, \u201cMcCamy also said that he and his office continue to press TVA regarding solutions for the Tennessee River grass. McCamy stated that the issues have an impact on access to the river and on tourism,\u201d The Clarion was contacted by the Tennessese Valley Authority\u2019s Senior Communications Consultant, South Region, Clarissa McClain.<\/p>\n
McClain provided us with the following article regarding the eelgrass that is currently taking over Scottsboro and Jackson County waterways:
\nRoy Bryant reminisced about his crew club days, when he and his teammates could spend an afternoon rowing across Guntersville Reservoir. It had always been one of his favorite hobbies.<\/p>\n
On more than one occasion, however, they\u2019d encounter a tangle of vegetation that made it difficult to enjoy an afternoon of boating. The culprit? Eelgrass.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Natural Resources specialists know this particular variety by another name.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe common name is rockstar,\u201d David Brewster, TVA Natural Resource Management \u2013 West Operations manager, said. \u201cThat\u2019s because it grows so fast and does so well.\u201d This invasive plant\u2019s resilience has been the bane of many who visit Guntersville Reservoir in Alabama.<\/p>\n
It is believed to have first appeared in the reservoir about 15 to 20 years ago, likely originating from Florida. Biologists officially confirmed its presence about five years ago. In that timeframe, it has spread downstream to Wheeler, Wilson and Pickwick reservoirs, as well as upstream to Nickajack Reservoir. Small populations have been found at Chickamauga Reservoir.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rockstar eelgrass is a hybrid of two non-native species of aquatic plants, Vallisneria denseserrulata and Vallisneria spiralis.<\/p>\n
At Guntersville Reservoir, aquatic plant biologists have recently been unable to find or collect a native species of aquatic plant, Vallisneria americana. That\u2019s because rockstar eelgrass has displaced it.<\/p>\n
While TVA specialists primarily use herbicide treatment to manage eelgrass that grows on the reservoir bottom along developed shoreline, the growing plant itself is less problematic than portions that break free from the reservoir bottom, either naturally or from waves and wind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Floating eelgrass has become a leading problem at Guntersville Reservoir. \u201cThe floating mats can be acres in size and freely move with the river current and wind on the reservoir,\u201d Brewster said.\u00a0
\nThere aren\u2019t many efficient options for removing floating eelgrass. Typically, TVA teams and their contracted partners will physically remove the floating plant from Guntersville Reservoir.\u00a0 And it\u2019s a never-ending battle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce a mat is removed from an area, another will take its place within hours if there is no significant change in current or wind direction,\u201d Brewster said. About 95% of the eelgrass removed from Guntersville Reservoir is taken from the water\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n
This year alone, work crews have removed a staggering 120,000 cubic yards of floating eelgrass from Guntersville Reservoir.<\/p>\n
TVA\u2019s strategy involves removing as much of the floating plant as possible from the reservoir\u2019s open-water areas and the river channel. In boat lanes and access lanes, TVA teams use a harvester to clear the waterways. While this doesn\u2019t eliminate the problem, it does help reduce the amount of floating plant near shoreline areas.<\/p>\n
TVA teams and contractors do not remove floating eelgrass from shoreline areas. Along private shoreline areas, property owners are free to remove the plant as needed. It\u2019s imperative, however, they place it on land once it\u2019s removed \u2013 preferably at a location above TVA property, noted Stephen Turner, program manager for TVA Aquatic Plant Management.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To properly manage native aquatic wildlife and maintain recreational access and activities, it\u2019s critical to manage invasive plant species.<\/p>\n
Rockstar eelgrass and other non-native species invade many areas used for recreational activities, such as water near boat ramps, piers, shorelines and other public access points.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to remove invasive species in certain areas to enhance recreational opportunities,\u201d Brewster said. \u201cRemoving these plants provides easy access in and out of the water.\u201d<\/p>\n
TVA specialists and contractors can use EPA-approved aquatic herbicides to effectively control rooted, growing plants on developed shoreline.<\/p>\n
In public access areas such as boat ramps and parks, TVA funds these herbicide treatments.<\/p>\n
Along private and commercially developed shorelines at Guntersville Reservoir, TVA partners with My Lake Guntersville, which this year is covering half the cost of these herbicide treatments.
\nBryant, a W.E.T. Foundation chairperson, is grateful for the work undertaken to combat invasive plant species. His foundation maintains a schedule of treatment programs at Guntersville Reservoir.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe appreciate the efforts to keep the lake clean,\u201d Bryant said. \u201cIt\u2019s a very difficult job,\u201d the article read.
\nIf you\u2019re from our area, you have noticed that over the last several years, our waterways have become overgrown with lillypads and grass.
\nThe Clarion requested information regarding specific treatment being done in the Scottsboro\/Jackson County area.
\nDavid Brewster, TVA\u2019s Natural Resources Management West Region Manager, shared the following aquatic plant management efforts by TVA in the Scottsboro area.<\/p>\n
Aquatic plant harvester access lanes locations:
\n(This machine breaks up large, floating clumps of eel grass that can form in the main water channel.)
\n\u2022Driftwood Shores Subdivision
\n\u2022Section Bluff Subdivision
\n\u2022Goose Pond Colony Campground
\n\u2022North Sauty Boat Ramp upstream of HWY 72<\/p>\n
Near-shore herbicide applications:
\n\u2022ALL Public Access areas
\n\u2022Jackson Co. Park and Marina
\n\u2022City Park, ramp and fishing pier
\n\u2022 Sportsman\u2019s Landing
\n\u2022 B.B. Comer ramp
\n\u2022Chisenhall ramp
\n\u2022 Mink Creek ramp<\/p>\n
Residential Shorelines
\n\u2022All residential shorelines were treated by TVA and then My Lake Guntersville\/TVA multiple times.<\/p>\n
\u201cTVA is committed to providing access for everyone to our reservoirs through a balanced approach to managing nuisance aquatic plants. We do our best to preserve the positive aspects of aquatic plants, like providing fish and wildlife habitat, while attempting to minimize the negative impacts to recreational use. Since treatments began in March of 2023, TVA and its contractors have treated more than 1,400 acres, cut and harvested more than 150 acres of aquatic plants, and collected and removed more than 120,000 cubic yards of floating eelgrass from the water. We will continue to work in partnership with My Lake Guntersville and the W.E.T. Foundation on solutions to manage the aquatic plants in the Guntersville Reservoir,\u201d said McClain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In response to last week\u2019s Mayor\u2019s Corner article which stated, \u201cMcCamy also said that he and his office continue to press TVA regarding solutions for the Tennessee River grass. McCamy stated that the issues have an impact on access to the river and on tourism,\u201d The Clarion was contacted by the Tennessese Valley Authority\u2019s Senior […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11968"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11980,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11968\/revisions\/11980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}