Worry over chemical spray

General manager of infrastructure Bruce Lucas said the chemicals picloram and triclopyr had been used at the Bleakley Street entrance and over the southern end of the reserve in recent weeks.

“(These) are suitable for the treatment of woody weeds around water bodies,” he said.  

“It is being applied with appropriate separation and buffer distances to the water body.”

But many residents took to Facebook to voice their concern over spraying so close to the lake.

“I just don't understand how it's acceptable to spray so close to the water,” one woman wrote.

“There is so much wildlife in and around the lake as well as people walking and swimming.

“There are other ways to manage blackberries, more labour intensive and expensive I assume, hence the spraying, but less toxic to the animals, plants and people in the area.”

The US Environment Protection Agency has listed picloram as "practically nontoxic” to birds and mammals but did state the chemical “poses very significant risks to non-target plants”.

Triclopyr is a herbicide commonly used by Australian farmers to get rid of weeds in crops after summer rains.

In a study of triclopyr the US EPA said: “acute risks to fish were calculated assuming direct application to shallow aquatic habitat, which is not currently allowed. 

“Flowing water systems would result in rapid dissipation of triclopyr. Because triclopyr is an herbicide, risk to non-target plants is anticipated.”

Hepburn Shire Council said weed management was flagged as a major concern by residents during consultations undertaken in 2015 following the Lake Daylesford Management Plan unveiled back in 2009.

When asked if safeguards had been put in place to stop the chemicals entering water streams Mr Lucas said council had but would not elaborate further.