They are harmless, but are extremely annoying for bathers and anglers in Bernbeuren: While the aquatic plants in Haslacher See grew more slowly last year, this year they grow even more.
They have already reached the surface of the water and are in full bloom.
The local fishing club is at the end of its line.
Bernbeuren - in 2019 it was a red film that covered large parts of the Haslacher See, two years later a white layer is now causing disgust among some bathers.
The colors change, but the problem is always the same, says Bernbeuren's fishing club boss Daniel Bißle.
The plants that grow in the lake reach heights of up to two meters, according to him.
Once they have reached the surface of the water, they start to bloom.
The result is now particularly noticeable in the shallower parts of the popular swimming lake.
Fishing club puzzles over current growth spurt
The chairman of the fishing association puzzles as to how the current growth spurt came about: "Last year there were almost no flowers, but this year there are even more," he wonders.
Plants and blossoms are completely harmless, according to Bißle, but they annoy the fishermen: “I can throw my fishing bait straight into the meadow,” groans the club boss, looking at the hooks and cords that get stuck on the water plants.
The fishermen therefore prefer to go by boat to deeper parts of the lake where it is less prolific.
Bißle also advises bathers to swim around the plants.
After all, it is not exactly pleasant when they touch the body.
Mowing boat doesn't do much because the plants grow back quickly
Bißle does not know how the problem could be solved in the long term.
He admits that the fishing club is at the end of its line.
As is well known, the community and the association had already made numerous attempts in recent years to counteract the proliferation in the water.
A mowing boat was repeatedly borrowed for around 2,000 euros per use, which is on the Haslacher See at least once a year.
“The only problem is that, from our point of view, it doesn't really help,” regrets Bißle.
The plants are back three weeks after mowing.
Lake silts up more and more: "It's a vicious circle"
To make matters worse, the vegetation causes the Haslacher See to silt up more and more.
“It's a vicious circle,” says Bißle.
The dying leaves and flowers land on the bottom of the lake and form a layer of mud that continues to swell.
25 years ago, Bißle was only up to his ankles in the mud as a teenager.
"Today it is already up to my stomach," the fisheries club boss complained in an interview with the local newspaper last year.
Many would like the mud to also disappear from the lake.
And the fishing club tried 19 years ago to get him out with a snowcat.
The action ended in a fiasco, the caterpillar sank in the mud.
Quartz flour against the mud?
The topic also comes up again and again in the municipal council. In March of last year, for example, the use of quartz flour, which supposedly dissolves the sludge in a natural way, was discussed. The issue was quickly settled, however, after the then mayor Martin Hinterbrandner brought up the costs of 500,000 euros and reported on annual follow-up costs in the five-digit range. In addition, the water management authority is critical of the quartz flour. "How this is supposed to work is not entirely understandable," said Robert Kapa, a biologist in the Weilheim authority, on request.
If anything, then the office would advise sludge extraction, the department head explained at the time in an interview with the local newspaper.
As a biologist, he would let the siltation run free.
"This is of course a shame for the bathers, but it is a natural process."
Mayor currently sees no need for action
Acting Mayor Karl Schleich sees it similarly at the moment.
"That is the natural state of the lake," says the town hall chief about the mud.
As far as the plants are concerned, Schleich does not see any need for action at the moment either.
“It's not that bad in the bathing area,” he observed.
Should it start to proliferate there too, the mayor wants to order the mowing boat again.
Even though he knows "that stuff grows back pretty quickly when you mow it".
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