Another One! Starry Stonewort in Lake Minnewaska

The Minnesota DNR has confirmed the invasive algae starry stonewort in Lake Minnewaska in Pope County. This is the second new confirmation of starry stonewort in a Minnesota lake in 2017.

DNR invasive species specialists confirmed an abundant growth of starry stonewort among native aquatic plants in the narrow Lake Minnewaska marina off the main body of the lake. Additional searches are being conducted to determine whether it is anywhere beyond the marina.

Treatment options are being considered. Starry stonewort has never been eradicated from any U.S. lake, but treatment can help ease lake access and water-based recreational activities.

There are now 11 lakes in Minnesota where starry stonewort has been confirmed. Two were confirmed in 2015, seven in 2016, and two this year. It has been present in at least some of these lakes for several years, rather than being spread to many lakes in a just a year or two.

Since the first case was confirmed in 2015, all but one have been reported in the month of August, when the telltale star-shaped bulbils are most abundant and visible. Now is the best time of year to look for it. Information on how to identify starry stonewort can be found on the DNR’s website, and any suspicious plants should be reported to the DNR.

Starry stonewort is an alga that can form dense mats, which can interfere with use of a lake and compete with native plants. It is most likely spread when fragments have not been properly cleaned from trailered boats, personal watercraft, docks, boat lifts, anchors or other water-related equipment.

Details about starry stonewort and other aquatic invasive species are available at mndnr.gov/ais. More information about citizen science at the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center and the AIS detector program is available at aisdetectors.org.

[Note from the Vermilion AIS team: Volunteer “sentries” periodically monitor 31 public and private accesses at Lake Vermilion for new invasive vegetation, including starry stonewort. If you would like to join this important effort, contact Jeff Lovgren at lovgren.jeff@gmail.com.]

[Adapted from August 21, 2017 DNR news release. Photo credit MAISRC.]