Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum) is an aquatic plant, different species of which can be found throughout the world. The most common ones in the U.S. are the native Northern Milfoil and the highly invasive Eurasian Milfoil (Eurasian Milfoil has 12-21 pairs of leaflets per leaf, and Northern Milfoil only has 7-11). Water milfoil can quickly become a problem because it spreads rapidly forming mats of vegetation on the water surface. These mats interfere with recreational activities such as swimming, fishing, water skiing, and boating. The stagnant mats can create good habitat for mosquitoes. Milfoil mats can rob oxygen from the water by preventing the wind from mixing the oxygenated surface waters to deeper water and can also increase the sedimentation rate by trapping sediments. Extensive milfoil growth on lakes can quickly make the lake unusable for recreational water activities, alter aquatic ecosystems, and reduce property values around the lake.

Milfoil Identification:

Reddish-brown plant stem that thickens beneath the water and curves to lie parallel with the water surface

Submersed feathery leaves arranged in whorls of 3-6 leaves about the stem

Tiny yellow or reddish 4 part flowers stick out 2-4 inches above the water

The fruit is contained in a hard capsule with four seeds in it

Where is Eurasian Milfoil Found?

Eurasian milfoil can take over large areas and can form large floating mats of vegetation on the surface. Milfoil is typically found in fresh to brackish water of ponds, lakes, slow-moving streams, reservoirs, estuaries and canals. It is tolerant of many water pollutants.

How Does Eurasian Water Milfoil Spread?

Because of poor seed germination, milfoil can spread and reproduce by fragmentation. It produces fragments during the summer after fruiting once, or twice then the shoots get carried away by currents or boaters, and they form new plants.

Due to milfoil’s ability to spread rapidly and the density of a milfoil infestation, it often blocks out sunlight for plants native to the lakes. The plant can also inhibit the movement of larger fish, therefore disrupting the predator-prey relationship. Many waterways become congested, and the plant can cause serious damage to outboard motors and fishing gear due to these dense groups as well. Some lakes have even been rendered unsuitable for marine activities due to milfoil infestation!

Chemicals are frequently used to control milfoil growth. However as the milfoil dies and drops to the bottom, there is a huge oxygen demand which can cause fish kills and anoxic conditions at the bottom of the lake. This dead plant material results in more organic sediment and nutrient availability, and likely leads to either future aquatic weed growth or potentially worse, toxic cyanobacteria growth.

How Clean-Flo Can Help with Water Milfoil Control

Installing a CLEAN-FLO inversion oxygenation system will not only increase and stabilize oxygen levels throughout the water body but will reduce nutrients safely and naturally. Without reducing the source, NUTRIENTS, milfoil can be an on-going concern. This is an effective and long-term approach to control and naturally reduce milfoil. More importantly, numerous other benefits include improved swimming and boating, improved water quality, reduced organic sediments (muck), improved fish health, and improved property values. Bring life back to your water body naturally with CLEAN-FLO.

Our Proven Success for Water Milfoil Control

For years Restorative Lake Sciences (RLS) has been independently studying numerous lakes that have installed CLEAN-FLO inversion oxygenation. RLS works directly for the homeowner or lake associations to evaluate the effectiveness of our technology in each application. Their documentation of milfoil reductions on four lakes is reviewed in this report.

Paradise lake installed CLEAN-FLO’s technology to control milfoil growth. Read about reductions of 73% in this article published in the Michigan Riparian.

Before Milfoil reduction from CLEAN-FLO Inversion oxygenation

After Milfoil reduction from CLEAN-FLO Inversion oxygenation

Why Water Milfoil Control is Necessary and How to solve the Problem

Milfoil Identification:

Where is Eurasian Milfoil Found?

How Does Eurasian Water Milfoil Spread?

How Clean-Flo Can Help with Water Milfoil Control

Our Proven Success for Water Milfoil Control

Put the power and expertise of CLEAN-FLO to work for you!

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