Fisheries Management in Public Waters

The cost of this activity has been shared with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the past several years. Moderate amounts of aquatic plants provide environmental stability in lakes and streams and provide nursery areas for young fish and other organisms. However, particularly noxious plants, often exotic to Georgia, must be controlled through a practical management program. Approved aquatic herbicides, winter lake "drawdowns" and the stocking of sterile grass carp are the most frequent types of control used and recommended by the Section. An average of six water bodies, typically large reservoirs in the southern half of the state, are treated with chemicals each year.

Recently, the Section has been focusing more effort on the introduction of beneficial native plants (which are easy to control and provide food for wildlife) to many of our reservoirs. It is hoped that these actions will result in healthy aquatic communities, in which water-based recreation such as swimming, boating and angling can be accommodated.