With the unseasonably warm weather this spring, Lake Washington is now experiencing considerable Eurasian water milfoil growth. Milfoil forms very dense mats of vegetation on the surface of the water. These mats interfere with recreational activities such as swimming, fishing and boating. Because it is widely distributed and difficult to control, milfoil is considered to be the most problematic plant in Washington.

Recently the City of Bellevue and some property owners applied herbicide to control the invasive milfoil at four city beaches. As a precaution, each swimming area were closed for 24 hours following the application.