Lake Palestine boat ramp closed until further notice
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

Nathan Straus Photo This highly used boat ramp south of Chandler across from FM-3079 has been shut down nearly all month. It should reopen in March.

The Lake Palestine Kickapoo Creek Boat ramp off of FM 315 South of Chandler is still closed following a giant salvinia spotting February 5. The ramp has been closed nearly the entire month of February.

Howard Elder, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department aquatic habitat biologist said the ramp will likely be closed for another week or so.

"We hope we can clean the area within a week or two," Elder said. "We don't want to leave it closed any longer than we have to."

No other ramps have been closed on the lake.

Giant salvinia, Elder said, is an aquatic plant that thrives by growing extremely fast, especially in ideal conditions. The plant originated in south eastern Brazil.

"One acre of the plant can turn into two acres under ideal conditions. It's documented in some countries as being a major problem," Elder said.

The plant can grow to form a sheet of giant salvinia near the top of the water. The parasitic plant blocks sunlight to everything beneath it and stops virtually all life in the affected area.

To make matters worse, decomposing salvinia leaves use up oxygen and makes the water underneath the salvinia crystal clear, but acidic.

"It's bad water," Elder said.

Giant salvinia was outlawed in Texas because it is a very invasive plant and can literally take over small bodies of water. Possession of it is a misdemeanor that carries a fine of up to $500, and this fine is per plant.

"We caught this infestation early and closed the ramp in time," Elder said. "We hope to have it opened before fishing starts in spring."

There are a few ways to deal with a giant salvinia invasion. Elder said one of the first things done to affected areas is to contain the infestation to prevent its spread. In this way the plant can be removed in small sections.

Failing this, or if the infestation needs to be taken care of quickly, aquatic herbicide can be brought in to poison the plant.

If the infestation is a largescale disaster, weevils from South America, animals with an ecosystem revolving entirely around giant salvinia, can be brought in to control the plant. This is a long-term solution and one that must be supplemented by human efforts.

However, due to the fast detection in the Lake Palestine case, this action was not necessary and the infestation is entirely contained within the closed off area.