Taking on the Weeds in Taunton Lake

Taunton Lake, a 127-acre spring-fed body of water.

Gerald Smith, head of Aquatic Control Technology, Inc, aided by two assistants, sat at the controls of the air boat, which repeatedly crossed the southeast corner of the lake, spreading an aquatic weed killer on the lake bottom to control the growth of the pesky invasive weed known as milfoil. A network of tubes extending from a storage tank onboard the air boat spread the liquefied herbicide known as Renovate 3 (triclopyr) into the lake, where it will be absorbed by the milfoil, killing it.

Milfoil, an invasive plant that originated in Eurasia, has infested many lakes and ponds in North America. In this area, there are sizable milfoil infestations in Lake Zoar, Lake Lillinonah, and Candlewood Lake. The weed recently was discovered at Taunton Lake.

The discovery of milfoil at Taunton Lake will require regular lake inspections to check for the weed's presence and extent. If left unchecked, the spread of milfoil can damage the ecosystem of a lake. The lake has an 850-acre watershed. Taunton Lake feeds Pond Brook, which carries water to Lake Lillinonah. (Andrew Gorosko, Newton Bee).