And its done for the health of the lakes and to keep them looking good, too. These orange-colored "weed eaters" play an important role in helping to maintain the water quality at Saratoga Lake.

The impact could also easily spread beyond the state park. The ultimate concern, according to Pilarcik, is preventing the weed from spreading 20 miles further north to the Great Lakes.

According to one recent study in Global Change Biology, almost all of North America’s lakes experienced at least one “smoke day” —where smoke can be seen in the air— per year between ...