Hydrilla has been identified as one of the most problematic and invasive aquatic plants in the United States. It was first introduced to Florida in the late 1950s, and now, it has found its way into lakes around the country, including Mosquito Lake.

According to Trumbull County Commissioner Denny Malloy, there are more than 100 acres of hydrilla on the lake. Malloy was told if nothing was done about the species, that number could double by next year. It would make boating, skiing and swimming on the lake almost impossible. Something had to be done, so we must commend Malloy and Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa for voting Wednesday to provide $300,000 over three years to help aid in the fight against the species at the lake.

Commissioner Niki Frenchko did not attend Wednesday’s meeting.

The money will go toward a fluridone chemical treatment that will help stop the spread of hydrilla. This was simply the right decision because of the importance of Mosquito Lake to the area’s economy.

Each year, around this time, people begin to flock to the lake to participate in many activities such as boating, skiing and fishing. If the hydrilla continues to spread and nothing is done to stop it, the number of visitors the lake receives each year could decrease dramatically. If the lake was impacted, the economy could be greatly affected. So, this was a move that needed to be made. We applaud commissioners for researching how it has been combated in the past, formulating a plan and taking action to move forward with funding. We must continue to be proactive with important issues such as this.

However, even though the funds are approved and a plan is in place, the job is not done. Hydrilla can spread from lake to lake easily as it has also been seen in the Pymatuning Reservoir and Alum Creek Lake. It can travel in several different ways such as swimmers bringing it in their swim trunks or boaters having it on the bottom of their boats or on their engine propellers. So we implore all boaters and swimmers, along with any visitors to the lake, to be vigilant and be responsible when traveling from one lake to the next, you never know what you might be bringing with you.

We ask you take the proper precautions, such as washing your boat and propellers after each visit and double-checking it properly to ensure that you are not carrying any of the invasive species on board. For swimmers, we ask that you make sure to wash your trunks and any other pieces of clothing to ensure that you are not contributing to the problem.

Mosquito Lake is a large part of the economy in Trumbull County and when battling something like hydrilla, everyone must do their part to keep it at bay as much as we can.