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County wants state to talk to Lake Adger residents first

MILL SPRING—The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has plans to add natural habitat enhancement in Lake Adger for fish and the Polk County Board of Commissioners want the state to speak with Lake Adger residents prior to giving its approval. 

County commissioners met last week and heard from Scott Loftis with the WRC. Loftis presented about water willow, which is a native plant. He spoke of water willow’s benefits and said it only grows up the shoreline up to 3 feet deep. He also said water willow goes away in the winter months. 

Loftis said the state wants to try five test sites on Lake Adger. 

Commissioner chair Myron Yoder said he did some research and there are a lot of complaints about water willow from other lakes. He said it grows in shallow water and it is an invasive plant and people are having problems getting access to their docks and water willow is taking over. 

“I have the same feeling about this as kudzu,” Yoder said. 

Commissioner vice chair Tommy Melton asked Loftis if he has spoken to Lake Adger residents about the project. 

Melton said his concern is the invasiveness of the plant and the county is dealing with kudzu now and he thinks it came to the county in 1937. 

Loftis said he has not reached out to homeowners as last week was his first engagement in a public forum but said he would be glad to speak with the homeowners association. 

Loftis said he would like to draw a distinction between water willow, which is native to North Carolina and the non-native kudzu, which was brought in from another county. 

Melton said the county has 300-500 residents who live at Lake Adger. 

“That’s a huge amount of people that invested a large amount of money,” Melton said. 

Melton said he would like for the state to speak to the homeowners association first and possibly get their approval. 

Loftis agreed to attend a Lake Adger meeting in the near future then return to commissioners with their recommendation. 

County manager Marche Pittman asked if water willow is the only option for what the state is trying to accomplish. 

Loftis said there is artificial, but as far as a biological source, water willow is what the state recommends. He said it can achieve shoreline stabilization, it does not grow offshore and does not expand rapidly. 

“From our experience, that’s where the best bang for our buck has been,” Loftis said. 

Loftis said the state is trying to reduce erosion and turbidity at Lake Adger and as everyone knows, Lake Adger is not immune to sedimentation. 

Loftis agreed to come back to commissioners after he presents to the Lake Adger Homeowners Association.