Join the Hydrilla Hunt!

On July 26 The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the New York Federation of Lake Associations (NYSFOLA) will present a webinar to instruct volunteers on the skills needed to identify Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrilla).  Hydrilla is an aquatic invasive species that has been found in New York state waters in in a limited number of locations during the last three years. In 2011, approximately 80 acres was found at the Cayuga Inlet in Ithaca, and in 2012 200 acres was found in the Tonawanda Creek near Buffalo. The monoecious variety of Hydrilla that has been found in New York State is well adapted to the temperate lake conditions in NYS since large areas of Hydrilla were able to grow rapidly without detection. Hydrilla is identified as an invasive plant by both federal and state governments across the United States.

Hydrilla over winter as turions but is most spread by fragmentation similar to Eurasian watermilfoil. Spreading by plant fragments allows that plant to easily invade large areas of connected waterbodies. It also is spread by boats and trailers that move between lakes and rivers.

Early detection is necessary to gain control of the plant once it is in a lake or stream. Working together, New York State, Tompkins County, and City of Ithaca have been successful in controlling Hydrilla in the Cayuga inlet, but it required a large effort to implement a series of complex herbicide applications.

TNC is working on a Great Lakes project to survey boat launches in the Lake Ontario and Lake Eire drainage. The volunteer effort to Hunt for Hydrilla will augment that project, and with the support of the NYSFOLA many inland lakes will also be examined. Our goal is to examine as many lakes and large rivers across the state as possible. Because of their connectivity, special focus will be given to the Mohawk River and the NYS barge canal system.

Early detection is necessary to assess the threat and develop rapid response plans to address any newly discovered Hydrilla infestation. Volunteers can maximize the number of water bodies examined. The end of July is a good time to search for Hydrilla since it will be fully developed and will be at surface of water bodies. The following weeks will be adequate time to verify any possible locations of Hydrilla discovered by volunteers on the hunt.

A webinar will kick off the Hydrilla Hunt on July 26, at 2 pm. Participants can join the webinar at https://nethope.webex.com/mw0307l/mywebex/default.do?service=7&main_url=%2Ftc0506l%2Ftrainingcenter%2Fdefault.do%3Fsiteurl%3Dnethope%26main_url%3D%252Ftc0506l%252Fe.do%253FAT%253DMI%2526%2526Host%253D606c0b1d785d4040%2526UID%253D1290906702%2526HMAC%253De30bf2d3330c5d304b412ff151bd1bd1e07c009a%2526siteurl%253Dnethope%2526confID%253D1228187951%2526ticket%253D1849811b6cb21ccf9b07209bde18a431&siteurl=nethope Sign in with your name and email.

The password is Hydri11a (using the number 1 not the letter l).

The webinar will instruct participants where to look for Hydrilla, sampling techniques to gather suspect plants and how to report search areas and findings. Volunteers will be asked to search for Hydrilla the over the  eekend and during  following week. Report possible Hydrilla sightings as well as locations that were searched but where no Hydrilla was found to help us understand the type of lakes that are conducive to Hydrilla.

The steps in the Hydrilla Hunt are:

1. July 26 to August 3: Search your lake river or water body for Hydrilla and keep track of the areas that were searched
2. Report your results at the iMap site or by email to Scott Kishbaugh at sakishba@gw.dec.state.ny.us    It is important to report all locations searched in order to better understand how Hydrilla is being transported around NYS or how fast it is moving in NYS
3. If you find a suspected Hydrilla plant report the information and collect the suspected plant for verification. You can post a photo on iMap or send it to Scott Kishbaugh at sakishba@gw.dec.state.ny.us
4. Be available to answer questions on your search for follow-up for plant verification  or verify where searches have been completed
5. Get your friends and neighbors involved. Additional volunteers can participate by reviewing the webinar and TNC web site to see the instructions to complete a Hydrilla Hunt, and results can continue to be posted after August 3.

For more information on Hydrilla see http://ccetompkins.org/environment/invasive-species/hydrillahttp://ccetompkins.org/environment/invasive-species/hydrilla and http://www.nyis.info/index.php?action=invasive_detail&id=16

For more information on the webinar, contact Dean Long dlong@thelagroup.com

Nancy J. Mueller, Manager

NYS Federation of Lake Associations, Inc.

P.O. Box 84

LaFayette, NY 13084

(800)796-3652

fola@nysfola.org