invasive aquatic species on our door step: the need for ... · invasive aquatic species on our door...

Invasive aquatic species

on our door step: the need

for vigilant neighbors

Martha Balfour, Jennifer Hauxwell,

Alison Mikulyuk, Michelle Nault and

Scott van Egeren

Outline

• Chapter NR 40 Overview

• Education

• Rapid Response Case Studies– Yellow floating heart

– Brittle naiad

– Hydrilla

– Brazilian waterweed

• Preventive Measures

What is Chapter NR 40?

• Statewide program to

control invasive species

• Rules for:

– Identifying

– Classifying

– Controlling

http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/classification/NR40

Chapter NR 40

• Comprehensive, science-based

system

• Classify species as:

– Prohibited

– Restricted

• Maintain watch list

Prohibited

• Not currently in state or in localized areas

• Likely to establish

• Ecosystem degradation

• Goals

– Eradicate

– Prevent from establishing

Prohibited SpeciesAlgae and cyanobacteria• Cylindro• Didymo or rock snot• Starry stonewort• Novel cyanobacterial

epiphyte of the order Stigonematales

• Golden alga• Ulva spp.• Enteromorpha spp.

Aquatic Plants• Fanwort• Brazilian waterweed• Hydrilla• European frogbit• Oxygen−weed, African elodea

or African waterweed• Parrot feather• Brittle naiad, or Lesser, Bushy,

Slender, Spiny or Minor naiad or waternymph

• Yellow floating heart• Water chestnut

Restricted

• Already established regionally or statewide

• Potentially harmful

• Eradication unlikely

• Goals

– Control

– Contain

– Best management practices

Chapter NR 40

• Transport, possession*, transfer and

introduction of Prohibited and Restricted

species is banned

• WDNR enforcement

– Citations (may exceed $2000)

– Refer matter to the department of justice

– Revoke any permits issued under NR 40

• Ex. Invasive found in a water garden.

* Possession of restricted species is allowed

Education Opportunities

• AIS Coordinator public workshops

• UW / WDNR plant ID workshops

• Boat launch monitors

• Invasive species fact sheets

Four WI Prohibited Species

Yellow floating

heart

Hydrilla

Brittle naiad

Brazilian

waterweed

Species Identification:

Yellow floating heart (Nymphoides peltata)

• Scalloped floating leaves with yellow fringed petals

• Reproduction– Fragmentation/ clonal expansion

– Seed

• Crypsis– Nymphaea & Nuphar spp.

• Impacts– Sweden: SAV growth reduced

– France: Spread 12 hectares in 1 year

– Wales: Dominate species 15 yrs after introduction

Case Study

Yellow floating heart (Nymphoides peltata)

• Walworth County– 2007

• Chemical treatments

• Manual removal

– 2009• Dredged and relined ponds

– 2010• 4 plants found

• Waukesha County– 2010

• Found in 2 new private ponds

• Eradication efforts start this month

• UW Botanical Garden– 2009

• Attempted hand pulling

• Drained and relined ponds

• Marinette County– Found with hydrilla

– Homeowners are hand pulling

More detail in the poster session

Yellow Floating Heart Eradication Experiences in Wisconsin - Susan Graham

New Invaders to Wisconsin - Laura Herman

Heidi Bunk

Species Identification

Brittle naiad (Najas minor)

• Annual herb, leaves visibly serrated

• Reproduction

– Prolific seed set (1 acre > 10 million

seeds)

• Crypsis

– Najas spp.

• Known Impacts

– Replaces native Najas spp. forming

dense stands

– Becomes dominant following

management

IPANE

WI Case Study: Brittle naiad

Adams & Rock County

• Mason Lake

Surveyed

– 2009

– 2010

• Storrs LakeSurveyed– 2007

– 2008

– 2010

Mason 2009

August

2010

August

FOO 9.0% 3.7%

# Points

Sampled

412 614

Storrs 2007

August

2008

June

2010

August

FOO 1.8% 0.0% 5.2%

# Points

Sampled

113 113 124

Currently no active management of N. minor in these lakes

Options: Small-scale chemical treatments: Endothall

Species Identification

Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)

• Leaves have spines on midrib

• Distinct tubers

• Reproduction– Sexual & asexual in monoecious strain

• Crypsis: Elodea spp. & Egeria spp.

• Impacts– U.S.: Most economically damaging

weed

– Florida: $14.5 million/ yr for control

– South Carolina: Blocked intakes of power plant causing shutdown

– California: Canal overflowed banks due to infestation

Langeland, K.A. 1996. "The Perfect Aquatic Weed”

WI Case Study: Hydrilla

Marinette County

• 2007

• Present since 2005

• 1.5 acre private pond– Summer- liquid Aquathol K at 3 ppm

– Fall- Drained and sediment excavated 7”

– Winter- Frozen to 11” depth

• 2008– Sonar-Q solid formulation of

fluridone (rate of 30 ppb)

• 2009 and 2010– No regrowth observed

• Undetected in nearby waters

*Home owners hand pulling yellow floating

heart

Species Identification

Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa)

• Leaves are serrated and broad

• Reproduction– Asexual, vegetative

• Crypsis– Elodea spp. & Hydrilla

• Impacts– Japan: 5 years reached 93% of

total lake biomass

– New Zealand: Power plant shut down due to fragments clogging intake

– North Carolina: ~1500 acre feet of storage lost due to sedimentation annually

WI Case Study: Brazilian waterweed

Portage County

• 2009– Private Pond ~0.25 Acres

– Artificial and lined

– Hitchhiker from purchased plants

• Treatment– Fall 2009 & Spring 2010

Diquat Bromide (Reward)

• Control ~ 50%

• Plan to treat in 2011

• DATCP to follow up with nurseries

Photo by Paul Skawinski

WI Watch Species

• Mosquito fern, Water velvet

• Pond water starwort

• Water hyacinth

• East Indian Hygrophila, Indian swampweed

• Water spinach, Swamp morning-glory

• Dotted duckweed

• Limnophila or Asian marshweed

• Water shamrock, European waterclover

• Watercress

• Duck lettuce

• Water lettuce

• Salvinia species

Water Hyacinth

Water Lettuce

Watercress

Water Hyacinth

Water Lettuce

Watercress

Water Hyacinth

Water Lettuce

Watercress

Water hyacinth and Water lettuce

Dane County

• 2 Middleton Ponds

• 2008 – Discovered

• 2009 – Not observed

• 2010 – Total ~ 3.5 acres

• Manual removal

• Funded By:

– City of Middletown

– Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)

Rapid Detection and Response grant

Reference: Greg Matthews. 2010. Removal of invasive plants headed toward conservancy and Madison lake.

WDNR Photo

Vigilant Neighbors

• Plant identification training

– Emphasize new invaders

• Reporting new invasions

– Within Wisconsin

– Surrounding States

– Expanding collaboration within Midwest states

for control of establishing invasives

Prohibited SpeciesFanwort

Brazilian waterweed

Hydrilla

European frogbit

Parrot feather

Brittle naiad

Yellow floating heart

Watch SpeciesPond water starwort

Water hyacinth

Dotted duckweedDotted duckweed

European waterclover

Watercress

Duck lettuce

Water lettuce

Data from USDA PLANTS Database

Addressing Pathways

• Boat trailers

• Backyard ponds

• Water gardens

• Aquarium dumping

• Internet sales

WDNR Prevention Methods

• Habitat monitoring

• Watercraft inspection

• Information and education

• Clean boats, clean waters volunteer

program

Think you may have an invasive

aquatic plant?

• Website to report species:

http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/aquatic/whattodo/

• Contact your local DNR Aquatic Invasive

Species Coordinator

QUESTIONS?

Martha Balfour

Martha.Balfour@Wisconsin.gov

(608) 221-6350

Management Strategies

• Eradication of prohibited

• Control

• Best Management

Practices

• Research

• Monitoring

• Education

Prohibited SpeciesFanwort

Brazilian waterweed

Hydrilla

European frogbit

Parrot feather

Brittle naiad

Yellow floating heart

Watch SpeciesPond water starwort

Water hyacinth

Dotted duckweedDotted duckweed

European waterclover

Watercress

Duck lettuce

Water lettuce

Data from USDA PLANTS Database

Invasives Beware:

An Overview of Wisconsin’s

(Proposed) Invasive Species

Rule – NR 40

Science to support regulatory options

1) Identify and list potentially harmful species

2) Reduce likely pathways of introduction

1) Identification of species

and regulated activities

6 Species Assessment Groups

-Aquatic plants and algae

-Aquatic animals (fish and invertebrates)

-Woody plants

-Herbaceous plants

-Terrestrial vertebrates

-Terrestrial invertebrates & plant

disease-causing microorganisms

Developed lists of harmful species –

Cannot ―transfer, transport, introduce, or possess‖

In total…

For submergent aquatic plants and algae, we are concerned about:

• 3 established species (EWM, CLP, flowering rush)

• 16 species of plants and algae not yet established statewide (e.g., hydrilla, rock snot)

• 14 “caution” speciesGoogle “WDNR and Invasives”

http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/classification/

In addition, many species of aquatic animals, and wetland plants

2) Preventive measures

• Illegal to launch or transport

AND

• Immediate removal and drainage required

– Vehicle, boat, trailer, equipment or gear of any type

– Visible “Stuff” - All attached aquatic plants or animals

– Water (algae,

early life stages

invertebrates)

• Introduction prohibited

– Non-native aquatic

plants, algae to public

waters

Process and next steps• WI Council on Invasive Species (WCIS) created by

Legislature – advisory to DNR

• Developed process, criteria, categories, draft regulations

• Created species lists, conducted literature reviews

• Species Assessment Group evaluations

• Draft rule

• Informal Public Listening Sessions

• DNR responds to comments – revises rule

• Proposed rule to Natural Resources Board

• Formal public hearings around state

• DNR revises rule based on public comments

• Proposed rule to NRB for adoption (April 2009)

• Legislative review and possible hearings

• Publication—rule takes effect

Conclusions for NR 40

• Science plays a critical role in making good regulations

•So do stakeholders…

Thanks to many of you!

Lake residents,

Lake organizations,

Industry reps,

Educators,

Local and county reps

SAG members

•Stay tuned