Much Needed Help for the La Fontaine Park in Montreal

So many lakes and basins in southern Quebec have now been taken over by Eurasian Watermilfoil. The La Fontaine Parc basin in Montreal is one of them, and we worked together with the city in 2012 to find solutions in order to prevent the reappearance of this invasive plant. As the causes of this problem were numerous, so are the possible solutions.

In 2013, we installed a benthic barrier at Lafontaine Park to test its effectiveness in blocking the growth of Eurasian Watermilfoil. Our verdict: this method is very effective, but requires regular maintenance of the screens. We therefore explored other solutions.

It is clear that a better understanding of the causes is needed to suggest management practices to be implemented in the future, as this multi-use pond also serves as a stormwater retention pond and a skating pond in winter.

Some of the best management practices that may be involved are as follows:

• Limiting phosphorus inputs to water through improved watershed management;
• Adding aeration and oxygen to improve biological functions in the water;
• Strategic pruning and harvesting of unwanted grasses;
• Bio-augmentation with Bacterius® products to reduce the organic load of sediment in ponds;
• Installation and maintenance of a benthic barrier where water access is important;
• Installation of Biomatrix floating islands with native plants to refresh cemented banks and help remove excess nutrients from the water.

Subsequently, we were mandated to install bottom aeration with Bubble Tubing® to help maintain good water quality throughout the summer. You can read this story here.

Read also:

• Myriophylle à épi – Des Laurentides… au Plateau Mont-Royal (PDF – Available in French only)
• Resistant “Zombie” plant alive and thriving within Lafontaine Park (PDF)