Drying or shading cabomba
are other control options
The deliberate lowering of the water
level (known as drawdown) may be the
best option for drinking water supplies.
If the base of the water storage dries
out completely there is little chance of
cabomba surviving, but if it remains
damp there is a more than 50% chance
it will return.
Because cabomba requires direct sunlight,
shading has been used to kill it in small
areas. However, the cost is prohibitive
for large-scale programs.
Once established, it is extremely
difficult to control cabomba
Re-establishment of riverbank vegetation
may offer some control if it provides
a shading effect. Long-term benefits are
expected from maintaining tree coverage
along the edges of creeks and rivers to
discourage cabomba establishing in the
shallows.
Herbicides require special care
Chemical control is difficult because of
the problems associated with applying
chemicals in water and the potential to
affect non-target species. However, there
are cases where herbicides have been
used successfully. For example, at Marlow
Lagoon in the Northern Territory, a $4000
herbicide program successfully cleared
the infestation after unsuccessful attempts
at eradication by mechanical control.
Biological control has not yet
been attempted
Biological control of cabomba has not
been attempted. However, a new project
being funded under the Natural Heritage
Trust is looking for potential biological
control agents in the native range of
the weed.