Posted on: Wednesday, December 25, 2002

Weed gaining upper hand in Lake Wilson

Associated Press

State officials say it could take as long as a year to contain an invasive fern that is covering much of Lake Wilson.

Glenn Higashi, an aquatic biologist for the state Division of Aquatic Resources, said five city and state workers had cleared about 1,000 cubic yards of Salvinia molesta from the central O'ahu lake in the last month, but it continues to spread.

"There's more algae every time I'm out there," said John Kimball, who owns property on Lakeview Circle, overlooking the lake in three directions. "The lake is all this green mass."

Higashi said the city is considering using an excavator or other equipment that could remove the weed faster. The crew has been encircling the weed in boats and pulling it ashore.

Salvinia, on a federal list of noxious weeds, causes problems on the Mainland and blocks off Lake Victoria in east Africa, said Mindy Wilkinson, invasive species coordinator for the state Department of Land & Natural Resources.

The weed has been removed from Enchanted Lake in Kailua and is being monitored in Kawainui Marsh.