Syracuse.com - Two separate efforts underway to deal with invasive plant species on Cayuga and Oneida lakes

[HuntingNY-News]

One involves an effort to stop the spread of hydrilla; the other, water chestnuts.

View full sizeHydrilla clogs up a tributary that flows into the Cayuga Lake Inlet.Robert Johnson photo 

Invasive aquatic plant species continue to be a threat on Central New York waterways.

Two efforts - one this past week, and another next month - will help make a difference.

The presence of hydrilla, a plant that tends to clog and overtake a waterway was first discovered in the Cayuga Lake Inlet in August 2011. Since that time, a multi-agency task force has tried to stop its spread into the lake.

One chemical herbicide treatment was applied in 2011 and two more in 2012. Two treatments are again planned for this year, using two different chemicals . The first chemical application this year took place Tuesday in an area stretching from the DEC's fish ladder upstream to Allan H. Treman Park, said James A. Balyszak, Hydrilla Program manager.

To ensure the chemical would have its maximum effect, officials closed down the Inlet to water craft from 8 a.m. Tuesday to 8 a.m. Wednesday., he said.

The game plan, Balyszak said, is to contain and wipe out the plant in the Inlet. "At this point, it has not been found rooted or growing in the lake," he said.

Balyszak said it's not clear how the plant got in the Inlet. Best guesses at this point involve a boater launching his craft with a plant fragment picked up from another body of water, or someone dumping the contents of their aquarium in the Inlet.

For more on hydrilla adn the task force's efforts, see stophydrilla.org.

Mike Cusano has been involved in fighting the spread for several years. In this 2008 photo, he's shown harvesting the plant from the Oneida River.Mike Greenlar | [email protected] 

Next month, the Salt City Bassmasters and the Gold Old Boys Bass Club are teaming up for 10 straight days of harvesting water chestnut plants on Oneida Lake in an effort coordinated by the New York Bass Chapter Federation. Like hydrilla, water chestnuts can clog up and overwhelm a waterway, or at least stretches of it.

The work, which involves getting in the water and pulling out the plants by hand, will take place during the evenings of Aug. 5-14. Volunteers will have use of the federation's conservation vessel, said Mike Cusano, of Clay, who is leading the effort.

Cusano said volunteers will meet between 5:20 and 5:35 p.m. each evening at Big Bay Marina, 155 Camic Road in Central Square, with the boat departing at 5:45.

"We will cruise the lake pulling and looking for water chestnut plants for about 2 ÃÂÃÂÃÂý hour each evening," he said.

Cusano said the owner of the marina is allowing the bass anglers to dock the boat, and keep it charged free of charge.

The plan is to have a crew of five individuals going out each evening.

"That includes a boat captain (drives boat, runs trolling motor), two individuals harvesting plants with rakes and two individuals bagging plants up in bags donated by Bass Pro Shops of Auburn," he said.

To volunteer, email Cusano at [email protected].

For more information about water chestnuts and other invasive plant species, see the DEC website at dec.ny.gov.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog