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Eurasian water-milfoil
The infestation of Eurasian water-milfoil in Crooked Lake (north bay) was first discovered in 2002. Since then, the Ottawa National Forest has organized snorkel events at least once a year: People in canoes and kayaks, equipped with GPS, locate old plant sites and look for new sites. The plants are hand-pulled underwater by snorkelers/divers.
Ottawa National Forest 2010 snorkel
(with some assistance from Friends of Sylvania volunteers)
A Eurasian water-milfoil plant growing at the bottom of Crooked Lake (north bay).
Eurasian water-milfoil typically has 12 to 21 pairs of leaflets on each leaf, while the similar native northern water-milfoil has 5 to 10 pairs of leaflets per leaf.
Bringing the plant up to the surface.
Checking the plant (counting the number of leaflets) to determine that it is indeed the Eurasian and not the native water-milfoil.
However, checking is more easily done under water since the leaflets tend to stick together when taken out of the water.
Transferring the plant to a bucket in the kayak.
Photos by I. Shackleford & W. Brinkmann