During the past five years, there has been a rapid expansion of Hydrilla in Lake Amistad.  This underwater vegetation grows thick in the summer, and dies back to the lake floor during the winter.  As far as I could tell, it can grow up to about 35 or 40 ft..  It grows from a clump on the floor and expands upward and outward to the surface.  This is good for divers! The result of the Hydrilla in the lake is very clear water around these beds.  The beds allow sediment to fall to the bottom and stay there.  Wave action does not stir up sediment from the bottom, as it remains calm below the beds.  Hydrilla also provides oxygen to the water and creates an ideal environment for fish.  Before the development of these Hydrilla beds, visibility dropped to 5 ft. or less during the summer.  Now you can enjoy 20 ft. of visibility in the middle of summer with a water temperature of 80 degrees!

Mike McCarson

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