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Water Lettuce Chokes Lake In Brandon's Clayton Lake

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By LAURA FRAZIER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 30, 2008

BRANDON - That's not a giant bowl of salad sitting outside the Brandon Regional Public Library off Vonderburg Drive. A hardy bloom of water lettuce has infested Clayton Lake, and it may take some time to wilt the wily weed.

Darci D'Onofrio, executive director of Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association at the library, said her staff is concerned about the invasive aquatic weed flourishing on the lake's surface.

Water lettuce produces a dense, floating canopy that alters water chemistry and shades out native vegetation underneath. Native to South America, it is commonly found festering in lakes and ponds throughout Hillsborough County.

The county's Mosquito and Aquatic Weed Control division began treating the Clayton Lake bloom this month. Supervisor Jeannie Craparo said it will take several applications before the job is done, and there is no way to predict how long it will take.

D'Onofrio is checking her calendar and crossing her fingers.

"If that's not cleared up before the holidays, it will prohibit us from installing the annual Christmas tree in the middle of the lake."

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