Bloomington's Griffy Lake has closed for the remainder of the summertime water-recreation season to private watercraft due to a Waterweed invasion.\n"The lake is under attack from an exotic invasive plant called the Brazilian Elodea -- a very long and stringy type of weed," said Bloomington resident Bob DeWar, a Griffy Lake boathouse employee. "When you're looking at the surface it doesn't seem like much of a problem, but when you get out onto the lake your fishing lines get caught in it, your canoe paddles get caught in it and it's difficult to see the bottom in shallow areas."\nVisitors can still rent canoes, kayaks and rowboats from the city to cruise through the lake for $5 per hour.\nThe Indiana Department of Natural Resources' Division of Fish and Wildlife claims Brazilian Elodea's invasion of Griffy Lake is the first and only Hoosier public body of water to contain a dense population of the foreign species native to some regions of Brazil and the coastal areas of Argentina and Uruguay. Elodea, also called Brazilian Waterweed, is often sold in the aquarium industry under the alias of "Anacharis." \nThe IDNR reports that Brazilian Waterweed has invaded waterways throughout about 31 states -- from Hawaii to Missouri to Delaware -- and about seven other countries throughout the world from New Zealand to Denmark. \n"Our immediate goal is to contain the Elodea from spreading -- motors tear it up, it gets caught in a boat's backwash and it sticks to rutters," said Mick Renneisen, director of Bloomington Parks and Recreation. "We want to contain the Elodea from other bodies of water like ponds, Lake Lemon and Monroe Reservoir. The long range objective is to find a nonchemical method to eradicate the plant from Griffy Lake. The goal is to get it out and never see it again."\nRenneisen said the Brazilian Waterweed was first discovered in 2003 and the plant can infect about 100 acres a year -- about 18 acres of the 109 acres of the lake are infested. Lake personnel have found aquarium rock remnants along the shores. This discovery has led city and state officials to believe at least one person dumped their aquarium fish into Griffy Lake when they left town. \n"This particular plant is one that probably came through an aquarium tank. Elodea has a wider impact, very quickly, across the aquatic ecosystem," said Robert Waltz, director of IDNR's Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology. "Because they are very aggressive, they affect two organisms: fish and the displacement of native plants. Having a plant coming in and dominating a habitat is not a good thing."\nWaltz said the effectiveness of nonchemical treatments to combat Brazilian Waterweed is difficult to predict because little documentation speaks to the consistency of mechanical means of removal. He said he supports Bloomington's decision to treat the plant invasion based on their budgetary concerns, but he said chemcial treatments have proven effective and provide immediate relief. Chemical treatments, on the other hand, might destroy native plants, harm wildlife and seep into neighboring \nbackyards.\n"Right now we have an exotic species of plant at one site in Indiana which can be controlled," Waltz said. "The longer it stays there, the more opportunity it has to be spread other places. It's a problem when you recognize it as a problem. A $50 problem is the best time to track it before it becomes a $300,000 to $500,000 problem. Elodea is extremely difficult to get rid of and it's an ongoing cost. The plant will die out on its own, but it might take a very long time to do so."
Experiencing 'the beauty of nature'\nGriffy Lake continues to serve Bloomington students, residents and guests who wish to rent a canoe, kayak or rowboat to fish or float throughout the city's next-door public waterway. \nBloomington students, residents and guests can rent one or more of 10 canoes, six kayaks and six rowboats for $5 per hour. The Griffy Lake boathouse is open every day of the week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Rental rates include paddles and personal floatation devices. Boathouse personnel require would-be renters to stay in the boat at all times -- swimming and picnic basket dining on any lake waterbank are not allowed. \nIU senior J.R. Weinberg said he decided to go canoeing at Griffy Lake with Chicagoland friend and senior Daniel Schellenberg to drink a few beers and to catch a few fish. He said he has "chilled on the docks" and "cast from the rocks" at the lake, but the choice to canoe was the result of "wanting to get a tan."\n"This is a great operation they got going here -- just come out and do it. Canoeing isn't that difficult," Weinberg said while basking underneath Tuesday's sunset in between gulps of a Upland brewery growler. "Students might think Cutters come from the woodwork during the summer, but get out here and use what the Bloomington community has to offer. For $5, get out here and experience the beauty of nature. I think a lot of students don't utilize what the town has here and there is a lot of interesting stuff to do -- take a canoe out and try to catch some fish." \nDeWar said Griffy Lake facilities do not provide electricity, and live bait like worms are sold at the boathouse. Also, watercraft-renting patrons are allowed to bring food aboard their boat, but not alcohol.\n"You are allowed to fish off the rented boats, and the fish are edible," DeWar said. "There is a mercury advisory depending on the kind and size of the fish you eat during any given period. It's recommended to only eat one large mouth bass more than 14 inches per month, and the bluegill should only be eaten about once a week."\nSchellenberg said anything offered in the Great Lakes or near his hometown of Fox River Groove, Ill., isn't comparable to canoeing at Griffy Lake. He said the fishing holes in Wisconsin are the only images that might compare to the beautiful landscape and serene environment of Bloomington's neighbor-like waterway. \n"The first thing I wanted to do when I got out of class today was get out and enjoy the outdoors," he said. "We packed a cooler with beer and brought some worms, but we didn't catch any fish."\nDeWar said willing Griffy Lake enthusiasts can check out field guides from lake personnel, pick up self-guided nature trail maps and are allowed to pocket pamphlets for self-guided canoe trials. He said the "big days" for renting watercraft are Thursday through Sunday, but campus community members can enjoy peace on the lake during weekday mornings.\n"It's amazing to me the peace and solitude you can find so close to the city," he said. "Griffy Lake is very relaxing and very peaceful -- people can enjoy nature often found in more remote areas. Bring water, a little munchies and a wildlife guide about birds and flowers of some sort. The older residents remember coming as kids and they take their grandchildren here to fish. They can expect a nice leisurely visit and friendly staff willing to talk about the birds, bees, trees and the moon up above."
