KTRE.com Lufkin and Nacogdoches |Strange Vegetation at Lake Sam Rayburn

Strange Vegetation at Lake Sam Rayburn

by Tashun Chism

Lake Sam Rayburn is normally full of boaters and swimmers, but not this summer.

"People come in and just turn around and leave. I mean, they come in with boats and they just turn around and leave because you can't get in there," area resident Bobby Morton told us.

For the past couple of months, the lake and shore have been covered with floating plants, including Water Hyasins, Salvinia and Hydrilla. Heavy rains dislodged the plants from the upper area of the Angelina River. They ended up in Lake Sam Rayburn. The excess of plants is not only keeping many people out of the water, but it's also bringing some unwelcomed visitors.

"There's been water moccasins down through all this stuff. So basically it's not even safe right now to go swimming," said area resident E.J. McCarty.

Some residents who have been brave enough to test the water say they've even broken out in rashes and boils afterward.

"I'd just like to see it gotten out of here so people can come in and put their boats in and go swimming again down here. Because summer will be over before long," Morton said.

Many residents wonder what's taken Texas Parks and Wildlife so long to treat the vegetation. Officials tell us they've had to wait several weeks for a proposal to be submitted and approved.

"We're clear to treat it. It's just a matter of going up there and making sure it's where it needs to be where we can actually reach it. We have to do our treatments by air boat," Texas Parks and Wildlife Aquatic Habitat Biologist Howard Elder told us.

The vegetation will be treated with Environmental Protection Agency approved herbicides. Texas Parks and Wildlife said they plan to treat the vegetation soon.