New York’s Erie Canal, Cayuga watershed get hydrilla treatments

Aurora, N.Y. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District is continuing efforts to combat the invasive aquatic plant hydrilla on two western and central New York waterways this summer.

Monitoring and treatment counters the highly aggressive, non-native plant and the severe ecological and economic threats it poses to local waterways and communities, particularly in the Great Lakes Basin.

Treatment of hydrilla in Cayuga Lake at Aurora and in the Cayuga Inlet at Ithaca began the week of June 23 and is taking place one day in each location for ten weeks (concluding the week of Aug. 25). Treatments are scheduled to take place in Aurora on Wednesdays and Ithaca on Thursdays. In the event of rain, treatment will be postponed by one day in each location.

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Treatment of the Erie Canal is scheduled to take place on July 23 and 24. In the event of rain, treatment will be postponed to the following week.

Treatment of hydrilla in these locations utilizes New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved granular and liquid herbicides. Types and concentrations of herbicides are tailored for hydrilla infestations in each location and applied with precision and care for human health and environmental safety.

While the herbicides USACE uses for hydrilla treatment are safe for use, some restrictions on use of treated water may exist, depending on the amounts used. These restrictions are identified in publicly available and widely communicated pamphlets, as well as signage posted at all public access locations for waterways within treatment areas.

Hydrilla has pointed, bright green leaves about 5⁄8-inches long with small teeth on the edges. Its leaves generally grow in whorls of three to ten around the stem, though five leaves are most common. Hydrilla has floating white flowers and small white to yellowish potato-like tubers attached to the roots.

Hydrilla’s primary method of spreading is through fragments on recreational boats and trailers. Fragments float and can be spread via wind and water currents. Even tiny fragments of hydrilla can sprout roots and establish new populations.

Since 2012, the Buffalo District has monitored the growth of hydrilla and developed well-timed, effective treatment methods for combatting it across Western New York.

Hydrilla is a very aggressive aquatic invasive plant native to Eurasia. It is a submerged aquatic plant that is typically rooted in shallow water, with long stems that can grow up to 30 feet in length and up to one inch per day. These stems branch at the water’s surface and grow horizontally, forming thick, dense mats.

Hydrilla grows rapidly and forms thick mats that shade out and outcompete important native plants (i.e. pondweeds, eelgrass, and coontail), diminishing habitat for fish and wildlife. In festations can seriously interfere with recreational and commercial navigation. Boating, fishing, and other water-based recreation can become difficult or impossible, leading to economic losses for tourism and related businesses.

Hydrilla can also affect the function of infrastructure related to water, including hydropower facilities and flood reduction systems. Water bodies choked with invasive plants can diminish the aesthetic and functional appeal of surrounding properties, potentially impacting real estate values.