What changes will occur during the winter of 2010-2011?
Because of the critical need for snail kites to raise more offspring next year and the unexpected large losses of hydrilla in the past two years, the FWC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are taking a very cautious approach to controlling hydrilla in the winter of 2010-2011. To ensure that kites will have hydrilla during the early nesting season of 2011, hydrilla will be controlled only in areas of the lake where water must flow freely for flood-control purposes, where it restricts boat access at public boat ramps, and where the majority of navigation is likely to occur. This may result in a substantial loss of open-water areas in the northern portion of the lake, with navigation possibly restricted to several wide boat trails by mid-summer 2011. The majority of open-water areas will likely occur in the middle and southern portions of the lake. Additional chemicals may be applied in the spring and summer of 2011 to maintain flood-control channels, boat ramp access and navigation t
