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| Invasion
of Lake Champlain by Keiichi Ishizuka When Samuel de Champlain found the lake near Crown Point, New York, in the early 1600s, what impression did he have? Lying in an elongated plain between the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains, the extensive water source, which now bears his name, would have surely puzzled this French explorer. But imagine—What if he were still alive and standing on the edge of the lake today? Would he dive in, or try to drink from the lake? His response might be easy to predict if he saw the lake's current condition. Today, the lake is invaded by various aquatic nuisances and has been causing serious effects on the environment, economy, and even humans. Invasive species, which are non-native plants and animals that invade a region, are significantly increasing throughout U.S. rivers and lakes. Mainly brought in by people who boat in multiple lakes, these creatures spread rapidly in their new homes, such as Lake Champlain, where they are considered a disturbance. Once they inhabit a certain area, invasive species start to compete with native plants and animals for food and habitat—ultimately taking over the area. Some die out, but the stronger remain, multiply, and conquer. Like many bodies of water, Lake Champlain has faced serious threats from such invaders. According to Mark Malchoff, Sea Grant Extension Specialist at Plattsburgh State University, the three most troublesome species in the lake are zebra mussels, sea lamprey, and white perch. The perch, in addition to several other invasive species, are believed to have made their way into the lake via the Champlain Canal. The canal links the lake to the Hudson River, eventually leading to the Great Lakes through the Erie Canal at Troy. Since 1993, building a barrier at the Champlain Canal has been considered, but no action has been taken yet.
In October 2004, U.S. Congress approved the construction of an electric barrier in the Illinois River near Chicago to prevent Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan. As a result, this decision has recently heated up the debate to create a similar barrier across the Champlain Canal at the southern end of Lake Champlain. Malchoff says, “If you are a boater, you should wash all the components off your boat when you go from one lake to the next.” Anything that contacts the water is likely to pick up some kind of invasive species’ seeds or roes. Every time you boat in the lake, he says, the boat should be washed carefully and dried on the ground for four or five days. Some invasive species are available at Wal-Mart and other grocery shops. “Don’t purchase them!” says Malchoff. Invasive species are a serious issue that can destroy ecology and environment in the today’s world. It is, of course, not their fault, but ours. As global trade and leisure related to water have increased with time, they were simply spread by humans’ negligence. We have to do something about this issue. |
Most Wanted Invasive Species in Lake Champlain
Courtesy of The Lake Champlain Land Trust and the Department of Natural Resources |
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