The 2023 LGA Volunteer Aquatic Vegetation Survey wrapped up the last week of October. The survey was conducted by approximately 100 LGA volunteers that surveyed nearly 350 miles of shoreline. There are 114 survey sections, 100 that were completed by the LGA volunteers - the other 14 sections were surveyed by North Carolina State University (NCSU) staff. The LGA volunteers invested nearly 500 hours of time with a “value” of approximately $15,000 to complete the survey. There was a myriad of aquatic plant species sampled, identified, and documented as part of the effort. Native plants such as water willow, American white-water lily, watershield, arrowhead and others were documented in various locations on the lake. In addition, invasive/noxious species such as lyngbya and hydrilla were also documented in locations around the lake. The LGA volunteer survey is a critical component of the larger effort to manage aquatic vegetation at Lake Gaston.

LGA volunteer Judy Waters enters survey data into a handheld tablet.

LGA volunteer John Franz tosses a survey rake to collect a vegetation sample.

Over the next several months, the data collected during the survey will be compiled and analyzed by NCSU professionals looking for trends and changes in aquatic vegetation compared to prior year surveys. The NCSU Team will apply sound scientific principles to look for areas on the lake where invasive/noxious vegetation may require additional management efforts to reduce the presence and spread of the undesirable species. Currently lyngbya and to a lessor extent hydrilla are the primary vegetation species of concern at the lake. The additional management efforts can include chemical treatments, biological controls, and continued monitoring. The NCSU Team will prepare a technical report, including suggested preliminary priority treatment areas, with the results of their assessment sent on to the Lake Gaston Technical Advisory Group (TAG).

The TAG is made up of science professionals from various agencies including the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Department of Environmental Quality & Natural Resources, VA Department of Wildlife Resources, VA Department of Environmental Quality, US Army Corps of Engineers, along with academic organizations NCSU, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State University, and others. Dominion Energy, the operator of Lake Gaston and owner of the land where the aquatic vegetation occurs is also a member of the TAG. The TAG will evaluate the NCSU report and develop recommendations for 2024 aquatic vegetation management actions, including any revisions to the proposed priority treatment areas, as well as identify any longer-term strategies needed to maintain the water quality at Lake Gaston.

The recommendations developed by the TAG will then be reviewed by the “Pete Deschenes” Stakeholders Board which is made up of various stakeholders from across the Lake Gaston region along with other outside organizations. The Stakeholders Board will identify any concerns and provide inputs to the TAG recommendations and forward the results to the Lake Gaston Weed Control Council (LGWCC).

The LGWCC is the organization, made up of elected officials and appointed personnel from the five counties around Lake Gason, is responsible for approving the NCSU reports and TAG recommendations. The LGWCC uses funding from the five counties, the State of North Carolina, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the City of Virginia Beach to execute contracts for Lake Gaston aquatic vegetation treatment actions and supporting studies. The funding received by the LGWCC is only enough to treat areas of invasive/noxious species across the lake that are of higher priority based on the scientific analysis and assessments. For other locations where aquatic vegetation treatment may be desirable, but not included in the priority areas, HOAs or individual property owners may want to work with licensed applicators to conduct private treatments. Under the Dominion Energy Shoreline Management Plan only approved/licensed chemical applicators are authorized to treat aquatic vegetation on Lake Gaston.

Typically, the entire process of aquatic vegetation analysis/assessment, report development, reviews, recommendations, and final decisions is complete in late winter or early spring. The timing of the process aligns with the need to implement any treatment /management actions in the April timeframe for lyngbya and June timeframe for hydrilla. For additional information please refer to the LGWCC website at http://www.lgwcc.org/