Bear Lake Watch working to control invasive species in the lake

GARDEN CITY, Utah — Bear Lake’s clear, blue water may not stay clear. Officials are trying to get some invasive species under control.

Eurasian watermilfoil and the curly-leaf pondweed can ruin bodies of water. Now, they are growing in areas along the shore of Bear Lake.

Executive Director of Bear Lake Watch, Brady Long, said the plants have become so dense in some areas of the lake that boats struggle to get through them.

“We refer to it as the new bear lake monster,” Long said. “The growth at its heaviest is in the marinas where the water is more protected and sometimes warmer.”

The biggest hurdle is that half the lake is in Idaho, and it is currently not on the same page as Utah regarding treatment. There’s only so much that treating the Utah side can do.

However, Long is optimistic that it can be done.

“If we’re able to get people to help identify it and we’re able to get Idaho to do the same work that Forestry, Fire and State Lands is already doing in Utah, then we will be able to win this battle,” he said.

Britt Johnson is a reporter and anchor for KSL NewsRadio.

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