Clearing the invasive aquatic weed lagarosiphon from Glendhu and Paddock Bays is the major focus of a new plan developed by the Lake Wanaka lagarosiphon management committee.
The committee is led by Land Information New Zealand, and will release its strategy for managing the weed over the next 10 years at a ‘‘hui on water'' on Thursday next week.
Communications account manager for LINZ Andrew Smith on Tuesday said biosecurity experts would explain what had been done over the previous 10 years to control the weed.
Divers with cameras would show those at the hui the extent of the problem in Paddock Bay.
Mr Smith said about two thirds of the lake was clear of the weed or could be managed with hand-weeding, but Paddock and Glendhu Bays acted as a ‘‘kind of reservoir'' of lagarosiphon.
‘‘If it gets churned up by boat propellers, or whatever, only very small fragments are needed to drift off and they can establish new colonies elsewhere.
‘‘So the plan is going to be to knock back the weed in those two spots over the next few years.''
Mr Smith said he did not think the committee would be committing to the eradication of the weed from the lake over the next 10 years.
Lagarosiphon is a fast-growing African aquatic plant.
