OCCA Continues Efforts To Remove Invasive Water Chestnuts

By BILL BELLEN
MILFORD

Throughout the past few months, the Otsego County Conservation Association has been taking action against invasive plant species threatening the county’s waterways. In particular, the organization has performed five removal operations in Goodyear Lake alone across this summer. The threat at hand: the invasive water chestnut. These pesky plants outcompete native aquatic plant life by forming large, dense mats with their floating leaves that block sunlight and deplete oxygen. These masses of plant matter can also severely impede recreational use on bodies of water.

“Its floating leaves form rosette patterns at the surface of the water which can grow over a foot wide, and its submerged stems can reach lengths up to 16 feet,” Victoria Prouty, OCCA field technician, wrote via e-mail. “They can grow so densely that the mats are nearly impenetrable, making it extremely difficult for boaters and kayakers to navigate infested waters. Each rosette is capable of producing 20 hard, nut-like fruits. These fruits have four extremely sharp spines, which create hazards for swimmers.

“The nutlets are nearly indestructible, and can remain viable in the sediment for up to 12 years. The reduction of native plant growth combined with the decomposition of large masses of water chestnut each year can reduce levels of dissolved oxygen in the water, impacting other aquatic organisms and killing fish,” Prouty explained.

Water chestnuts first arrived in the United States after being imported from Europe, Africa and parts of Asia as an ornamental plant in the 1870s. As Prouty elaborated, the plant escaped its captivity by 1879, and had spread and become well established in the Hudson River and Great Lakes by the 1950s. Jeff O’Handley, OCCA program director, detailed how water chestnuts had been found in the Susquehanna River since the early 1900s, but that their organization was first notified of their presence in Goodyear Lake around 2005.

Since then, OCCA has been committed to trying to mitigate the environmental impact of this invasion as much as possible. Of the five water chestnut pulls conducted by OCCA in Goodyear Lake this summer, one was in partnership with the Cooperstown Lions Club, while another was one of their signature “paddle and pulls.” The organization also conducted pulls at numerous other major water bodies across the county throughout the summer months.

Each pull at Goodyear Lake resulted in roughly 100 pounds of water chestnuts being removed, amounting to a very significant total. Prouty noted that other sites that saw major pulls last year, such as Larchwood Lake and Oaks Creek, were far less densely populated than Goodyear Lake, showing the positive impact their efforts can have on the local ecology.
According to Prouty, “Days spent in the field pulling water chestnut can be long, but they are always incredibly rewarding. The plant itself can be quite satisfying to pull up, especially when you find the nutlet still attached to the bottom of the root system.”

“There is definitely a strategy for removing the plants,” Prouty said. “You have to reach down as far as you can, apply light tension and gently wiggle the stem around to free the root system, and then pull the plant up little by little. Sometimes the stems will snap when the substrate is especially thick, which can be quite frustrating. Water chestnut days, especially those at Goodyear Lake, always have a high reward, with some days yielding well over 100 pounds of plants and huge mounds of plants waiting to be taken to OCCA’s compost pile.”

“You always feel like you’ve accomplished something after pulling water chestnut,” Prouty wrote.

OCCA representatives emphasized how important it is for boaters and those who use Otsego County’s waterways to be conscious of this threat. Though the plant fragments that spread water chestnut seeds can simply follow the current or attach to birds, one of the easiest ways for them to spread is by attaching to man-made items. Uncleaned boats, trailers and fishing equipment all pose the risk of transporting these seeds to new regions.

To combat this threat, OCCA recommends cleaning, draining and treating all water-bound equipment before and after use. Washing equipment in potassium chloride solutions—available online and in numerous retail locations—can kill plant fragments and seeds that may otherwise sneak through a general inspection of gear. Taking precautions around the plants, both for environmental and personal safety, is highly recommended.

With summer mostly behind them, OCCA staff is now looking ahead to the future and where their efforts can continue to help our local lakes, rivers, creeks, and streams tomorrow.

“Our team at OCCA plans to continue conducting water chestnut pulls at Goodyear Lake. We also hope to continue surveying other bodies of water to monitor and treat current populations and detect new populations of water chestnut that may arise. Early detection, quick response, and consistent treatment will be essential for controlling water chestnut infestations in our beloved lakes and streams,” Prouty concluded.

Those interested in staying up-to-date on cleanup efforts or who wish to volunteer for chestnut pulls themselves can visit the OCCA volunteer info page at https://www.occainfo.org/volunteer or follow them for updates on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OCCAINFO.