Managers from Niwa and Land Information New Zealand (Linz) asked councillors to consider investing $50,000 to manage lagarosiphon in Lake Dunstan at a council meeting in Dunedin yesterday.
During a presentation on the invasive plant, the council was offered the chance to co-chair the Lake Dunstan aquatic weed management group.
ORC chairman Cr Stephen Woodhead said the council was a member of the group, but did not provide funding for the physical control of lagarosiphon in the lake.
Niwa aquatic plants group manager Mary de Winton said the weed had ''incredible growth potential'' and controlling the spread of it was like ''fighting a wild fire''.
At present, $380,000 had been put towards the management of lagarosiphon in Lake Wanaka.
Marcus Girvan, a project manager for Linz service provider Boffa Miskell, said he was not comfortable with the level of funding for Lake Wanaka.
''I would like that to be a million-dollar project for controlling lake weed in Lake Wanaka.
''There has been progress.
''Progress is slow, but it is steady.''
In response to questions from councillors about why additional funding should not go to Lake Wanaka, Mr Girvan said it was important to control the weed in Lake Dunstan because of its proximity to Lake Wakatipu in which the plant was yet to be found.
The additional funding would not provide for the eradication of lagarosiphon, rather more effective and thorough management of it, the group said.
At present, $100,000 was spent on the management of lagarosiphon in Lake Dunstan, and Linz intended to add a further $50,000 over the next five years to the programme.
The additional $50,000 from Linz was not contingent on the council contributing funding for the physical management of Lake Dunstan, Cr Woodhead said.
Physical management options included herbicide treatment with diquat or endothall, suction dredging and submerged cutting.
The group's request for additional help from the ORC would be considered by the annual plans hearing panel next week, Cr Woodhouse said.
The matter would be discussed by the council again at a meeting in June.
