Harvesting Eurasian Water Millfoil

By Tom Casey, Harvester

The Eagle Spring Lake harvesting mission is to keep boating lanes open from Eurasian Water Millfoil (EWM), and to pick up "floaters" from a busy weekend so you can enjoy your property.  In 2023 we only needed to harvest 8 times

Eagle Spring Lake's rule for harvesting is to harvest in an area where vegetation is at least 51% EWM.

We are lucky our lake is very healthy from a natural vegetation perspective.  Many of the 'weeds' are good for the lake and help to keep EWM down as it grows.

A situation that may affect some shorelines is that harvester operators must maintain a minimum of 10' clearance of any and all personal property, such as piers, boats/boatlifts, swim platforms, canoes and kayaks.  This is a safety policy to reduce any possible damage that may occur from the harvester being veered off course due to weather conditions, boat wakes, etc.

You, as a resident do have the right cut and gather vegetation around your property to keep your area clear.  The DNR has issued Eagle Spring Lake with a 'Mechanical Aquatic Plant Control Permit' allowing us to remove up to 142.58 acres of plants. This permit also is very specific on what we do and how we do it.  To read the specifics of the lake's permit, click here: Mechanical Aquatic Plant Control Permit

Eagle Spring Lake Grid Map

In the event you would need to report an emergency or an issue in a specific area of the lake, or just want to point out your favorite fishing spot, a grid map of the lake has been created.  Call 911 to report an emergency, then contact: chair@eaglespringlake.us