Work to reduce invasive lakeweed in Lake Dunstan will begin next week, focusing on high-use areas popular with boaties, swimmers and anglers.

Divers contracted by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) will clear lagarosiphon around boat ramps and popular swimming and boating areas between the Bendigo boat ramp and Burton Creek.

Work will also take place in the Kawarau Arm.

LINZ leader biosecurity Tracey Burton said lagarosiphon was one of New Zealand’s most problematic aquatic weeds.

“Lagarosiphon forms dense weed beds that can interfere with activities such as swimming, boating and fishing, and it also poses a significant risk of spreading to other lakes,” she said.

Effective control in high-use areas was essential to reduce impacts on lake users and help limit further spread, she said.

Because Lake Dunstan is continuously reinfested from upstream river systems, LINZ said it focuses its control efforts on reducing the weed’s impact rather than full eradication.

This includes prioritising areas with high recreational use such as boat ramps, swimming zones, and access points.

Control work in the Kawarau Arm is being funded by Contact Energy as part of its Landscape and Visual Amenity Management Plan.

The plan aims to improve the visual quality, public experience, and environmental function of the Kawarau Arm area.

The wider lake weed control programme across Lake Dunstan is jointly funded by LINZ, Otago Regional Council, and Contact Energy.

Tracey said the community also played an important role in preventing the spread of lagarosiphon and other invasive aquatic weeds.

“By remembering to check, clean and dry your gear between waterbodies, we can all help prevent its spread and reduce the risk of other invasive species entering the lake,” she said.

The check, clean, dry message applies to boats, trailers, fishing gear, paddleboards, and any equipment that comes into contact with the water.

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