Cleaning up the Slough

slough0A neighbor recently wrote to us describing the condition of the slough that borders her property. She writes, “I love this peninsula and all the wildlife we enjoy that comes with it. The sloughs on either side of us are usually clean but ours has always been a problem. At one time it was really beautiful and full of wildlife. I saw long, flowing cattails home to kingfishers and herons, turtles and toads… Ever since the county applied herbicide last year, it’s been a slimy mess.”

We are asking the community what can be done to keep the sloughs clean and beautiful? Please use the Comment form below to share information.

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4 Responses to “Cleaning up the Slough”

  1. Carlis Cole says:

    Hey Ron, It is my understanding, that our sloughs are private property and not owned by the county. The county sprays hoping to kill out the cane which is invasive. The cat tails may or may not be native? Are the cat tails invasive? The sloughs that are bulk-headed and maintained by their owners are beautiful and attract gorgeous fowl and wildlife, even otters this year, which will not occupy polluted waters. Some neighborhoods, have sloughs which are an unsightly mess of Ike debris and overgrown dead brown rotting vegetation which the owners do not maintain. I look forward to Dr. Brachs Triton article, perhaps his insight will help toward a solution. The County is not allowed to mow the private property, but if the cane and cat tails are invasive, seems spraying may be all the county can do? Keeping fingers crossed here by a really gross slough. Carlis

  2. J. Ron Abbott says:

    I am so happy this is being discussed. Surely, in that the commom cattail has been present all over the southeastern parts of the US during my entire lifetime of 70+ years, it would be considered a native. I would wonder what exactly they are “clogging up”. I have heard that the slough itself is not a natural formation, but rather the remnants of dredging for the old railroad bed. Any real oldtimers know the facts? I have been in touch with Dr. V. Brach, the naturalist who writes the great monthly column in The Beach Triton, and he is considering researching and writing a column this spring about our
    “slew” which once was indeed gorgeous, and a magnate for wildlife and a bird haven. Ron Abbott

  3. Carlis Cole says:

    Well, here goes…We are probably discussing the same slough/ditch. We were informed by the county that the weed killer was being applied because the cat tails are not native and are invasive and clog up the waterway; however, the slough/ditch is on private property and the county is not allowed to cut the, now brown dead stuff without approval from the property owners. That was approximately a year ago, so must assume the owners either were not located or refused. The now brown dead stuff is horribly clogging up the waterway and such a giant eyesore! Surely, there is a solution…

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