ELKHART — Once again the Upper St. Joseph River here is inundated with weeds, a hindrance to boating.

And once again, homeowners along the waterway are trying to muster enough funds to treat the invasive plants, a continuing problem.

“It’s been an ongoing issue and it’s been an escalating issue,” said Tom Shoff, president of the St. Joseph River Association, a coalition of homeowners on the waterway between the Johnson Street dam in Elkhart and Bristol.

He said the river association has already spent some $18,000 in chemical treatments to kill off the weeds, with another $4,200 in bills to be paid off. Around $30,000 beyond that is still needed to deal with the invasive plants and the association has scheduled a meeting for Thursday to discuss the matter.

As is, boat motors can’t churn through the growth and it poses a hazard to skiers, who can get tangled up in the plants if they fall in. With nearly three months of boating weather remaining this year, Shoff hopes homeowners are willing to pitch in to cover the cost of treating the weeds, one of the topics Thursday. Though not everybody living along the river boats in it, the weed growth can hamper the value of land all along the waterway, according to Shoff

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at Pinewood School, 3420 E. Bristol St., and speakers will include reps from a company that treats weeds, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources the Elkhart Police River Patrol and the St. Joseph River Association. Park in the front lot off Bristol Street and enter through door 2.

SEVERAL FACTORS COMPOUND THE PROBLEM

The weeds in the St. Joseph River — Eurasian watermilfoil, coontaill and others — are clearly visible in places like Martin’s Landing, off East Jackson Boulevard. Shoff said they extend from the Johnson Street dam upstream to Bristol.

They’ve been a problem in the river in the past, but Shoff said a series of factors compounded the problem this year.

A mild winter kept the river from freezing, allowing sunlight to reach the river depths to nourish the weeds. Likewise, limited rain in the spring kept the water from muddying up, also allowing sunlight in.

Finally, there have been an abundance of mute swans living on the river and their waste feeds the weeds. “You’ve got a heck of a fertilizer system going on,” Shoff said.

A more permanent solution to the persistent weed issue would be dredging the St. Joseph River. That, Shoff said, would require involvment of the Army Corps of Engineers and assistance from federal leaders representing the area, something he hasn’t yet pursued.

A presentation Thursday will be followed by a question-and-answer period. Contact Shoff at 293-6157 or tom@shoff.com for more information.