The City of Austin plans to stock Lake Austin with more sterile grass carp later this fall. Hydrilla, a non-native, invasive plant, is now covering approximately 30% of the lake, up from less than 5% in June.
Grass carp prefer to eat hydrilla and are the most environmentally responsible tool available to manage the plant. A stocking rate of five grass carp per acre of hydrilla should help reduce hydrilla while minimizing the grass carp’s impact on native vegetation.
Texas Parks and Wildlife conducted a survey of vegetation in the lake in September. They found 456 acres of hydrilla. This is approaching the peak of over 500 acres in 2012 and 2013. Currently, the overall vegetation level in the lake is close to 40%. This is near the upper limits of what is recommended to support aquatic life. The target level of vegetation is between 20 and 40%…