Homeowner Information
(What you Can and Can't Do in public waters)

The best way to prevent problems in public or private water bodies is with prevention. Don't put any nonnative plants, fish, pets or other organisms into any waterbody. Check boat trailers, boat hulls and propellers. Rinse and remove aquatic plants or invertebrate hitchhikers such as snails. Don't dump aquarium contents in lakes, channels or other water bodies. Replace invasive and other non-native plants in your yard with native species.

What you can do!

• Identify your plants using the Illegal Aquatic Plants of SC booklet distributed by SCDNR.
• You can use mechanical devices such as  weed rakes or cutters.
• You can cover the bottom with weed mats.
  
• You can manually pull up problematic vegetation.
• You can hire a mechanical harvester.
• E-mail the SCDNR Aquatic Nuisance Species Program for information about aquatic weed problems in public waters - invasiveweeds@dnr.sc.gov.
• Good link to weed rakes and devices for homeowners-Weeders Digest.com

What you can't do!

• Never dispose of or plant invasive species in any waterbody.  (There are laws which prohibit the transport or spreading of certain species of plants!)
• Never stock grass carp into a public waterbody. 
  (It is against the law, you could be fined !)
• Don't remove grass carp from a public waterbody. 
  (It is against the law, you could be fined !)  
• Never apply herbicides to a public waterbody. 
  (It is against the law, you could be fined or sued!)
  • South Carolina Law requires individuals to possess a Commercial Pesticide Applicators License in Category 5, Aquatic Pest Control, before they apply aquatic herbicides if the work is done for compensation on the property of another. 
  • A license is also required, regardless of ownership, if the application is made to an area where public access to the treated site is expected.  Private swimming lakes, where the public would be exposed to the treated waters, are the most obvious example of the latter requirement.  
  • On all public facilities, such as golf courses, driving ranges, subdivisions, condominium/apartment complexes and mobile home parks, applicators are required to possess a Category 5 License to apply aquatic pesticides.
    

Sections include:

• Why Manage Invasive Species
• How Was the Program Established?
• Homeowner Information gives you the do's and don't