The Cane River Waterway Commission would like to take a moment to discuss concerns about vegetation on Cane River.

In the early 2010s Cane River was overrun by giant salvinia (which we no longer have in Cane River) as most State water bodies were and have been in the last decade. Vegetation control on State waterways at the time and is still under the direction of Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries. However, the Cane River Waterway Commission decided that it could do more to help with the management of vegetation and began having their sole employee spot spray along the river with the Commission responsible for the cost associated with spraying separate from Wildlife and Fisheries.

In 2022 the Commission decided a different approach was needed. With the understanding that the State has over 75 waterbodies (approximately 10 in Central LA), Wildlife and Fisheries struggles to keep up with all the State is already responsible for. Terminator Pest and Pond Management, who has the State contract for vegetation control was hired by the Commission. For the past 2 years the Commission has spent approximately $150,000 annually to help manage vegetation.

Well, you ask, why do we see vegetation growth in the beautiful Cane?

The simple answer is you are going to find vegetation in any body of water, period. It is mother nature doing her job for the fish habitat. Most common vegetation oxygenates the water for fish habitat.

Well, what about all the new vegetation we see this year?

The simplest answer there is the unprecedented drought we had last year. When the bottoms of waters can get ultimate sunlight or are bare for seeding, they are no different than lands where you plant a garden or grow crops.

What can we do as a public to help?

The biggest key to help with some of the vegetation, like the grass around boat docks, we call this cut grass/eel grass for the simple reason of when you cut your grass and blow into the river it will eventually settle and grow, especially when the bottoms have sunlight. So not mowing grass into the Cane is one way to help. During the spring, summer and fall months when boat traffic is up, dead vegetation will tend to get cut or detached from its source and float. Same is true when water levels rise and drop. In conclusion, the Cane River Waterway Commission is consistently updating TPPM for areas of concern and they are weekly from March-October spraying on the river to help manage.

We no longer have the dreaded salvinia in the Cane and by mother nature we will always continue to have lily pads, algae moss and the occasional water hyacinth appear, along with cut grass.

Please remember Cane River is 34 miles long, that’s a lot of acreage to cover.

It would be against the law to kill all vegetation and it would not be smart to even think it was even possible but just know that the Commission will continue to do what it can to keep Cane River beautiful. Please feel free to attend our meetings and/or reach out to chat about the Cane with the contact info below!