Hydrilla in New Jersey
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Aquatic plants are an ongoing and increasing concern for operations and maintenance of our water supply systems, including dense beds of native plants. These thick weed mats reduce water flow, impair water quality, block sunlight, reduce dissolved oxygen, inhibit recreational activities, and impact habitat for fish, waterfowl and other wildlife within our waterbodies.
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) describes aquatic plants that are always under water and can be rooted or free-floating. Some of the SAV species found in the Canal & Manasquan Reservoir include native plants such as coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), wild celery (Vallisneria americana), and common waterweed (Elodea canadensis) as well as invasive plants such as hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), brittle naiad (Najas minor), and Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). Of greatest concern is the aggressive invasive, hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata). Hydrilla is named after Hydra, the 9-headed serpent of Greek mythology, because it can grow an entirely new plant from a tiny stem fragment. NJWSA is conducting aquatic plant management projects both in the Canal and the Manasquan reservoir. Both projects target hydrilla management through systemic herbicide treatments which utilize the active ingredient fluridone. Fluridone inhibits hydrilla’s growth potential by disrupting its photosynthetic ability. Rather than immediately killing the plant, this systemic herbicide is applied over a longer period of time, weakening the plant, so it does not grow as lush or have the energy to produce reproductive structures, called tubers. The EPA Human Health Benchmarks for Pesticides states that fluridone presents a negligible risk to human health and the environment when applied according to its legally allowed uses and label directions. Fluridone does not carry any water use restrictions for water consumption, fishing, fish consumption, or swimming, though the label does include several irrigation restrictions (detailed below). Further details on the Canal and Manasquan treatments can be viewed on their webpages, but the targeted application rate of the liquid herbicide in the Canal is 2-4 ppb of fluridone. Manasquan receives a pelletized version of fluridone which slowly degrades, but past monitoring results have been under 2.0 ppb fluridone. Label use restrictions for fluridone include:
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