Crystal Lake Herbicide Treatment May 8

will be treated with herbicide May 8 to ensure Main and West Beach are safe for swimmers.

The treatment of the city's namesake lake is an annual undertaking meant to keep foilage under control, Crystal Lake Park District Director Jason Herbster said.

"We do it to keep the weeds out of the surrounding areas near the beaches," Herbster said. "It's done for safety and for the enjoyment of the lake."

If overgrown, weeds could entangle swimmers and pose a danger. The treatment will use Navigate, a granular form of selective aquatic herbicide. It will be applied to about 20 acres around on Tuesday, May 8. The park district has contracted Hey and Associates, and the treatment will cost about $7,000.

Residents should be wary of using lake water until the concentration of herbicide dissipates: "Please do not use lake water for irrigating plants and do not use water from treated areas for drinking water (human or pet) until concentraion (is less than) .07ppm, or mixing sprays for agricultural or ornamental plants," a press release from the park district states.

The herbicide treatment will not restrict fishing in the lake.

The herbicide treatment will be for Eurasian Milfoil, an aggressive, non-native water weed that is harmful to native plants. The weed can become dense enough to interfere with boating, fishing and swimming.

"It has been determined through lake studies that water milfoil presents an ecological and recreationl nuisance on the West Bay and eastern shoreline of the lake," a press release states.