Area Wildlife & Fisheries continue the fight against giant salvinia

For years authorities with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries have battled what some describe as a lake killer - giant salvinia.

"It's been on the lake here four or five years and it gets to the point to where you basically can't see any water."

Pete Camp with the Bistineau Task Force says the free floating plant that doubles in size every 3-5 days can make the lake virtually impossible to use.

"When the lake's covered you really can't use the lake. It becomes thick and matted up where people can't take their boats out if they do take their boats out the motors suck up the weeds and it tears the motors up."

The Tri-Parish Task Force of Bossier, Webster and Bienville kicked in $70,000 to purchase a new air boat.

"The habitat on Bistineau, all the cypress trees creates a perfect environment for salvania that makes it difficult to access for spraying," says Evan Thames, Wildlife & Fisheries District Fisheries Manager.

Thames says the airboat and the new equipment will be a perfect addition in their battle with the weed.

"It'll be in operation 4 days a week for spraying and then on the 5th day or Friday I'll probably get to use it some for surveying."

Bistineau is 18,000 acres in size, and the yearly draw down has reduced it to about 8,000.

Thames say this will make the lake manageable for spraying well into the fall.

"Eradication is not a term you can really use with salvania. Unfortunately, it's management."

Authorities say the draw down of the lake hasn't affected the amount of salvania but spraying can help restore the lake to a state that everyone can use.

"Our goal is to keep it as clear as possible and we're gonna have to use spraying salvinia, weevils and draw downs all those things together to make that happen."

Wildlife and fisheries are urging boaters to wash down their boats and trailers to remove the weed and from transporting it from lake to lake.

To monitor the area's effort in wiping out giant salvinia, visit the Caddo Lake Institute's website here.