Ithaca (WSYR-TV) -- It’s one of the most aggressive invasive species in the United States and it’s now been spotted in Central New York. For the first time, hydrilla – also known as water thyme – has made its way to the Finger Lakes.
Right now it’s been located in 10 areas around the Inlet of Cayuga Lake. Experts say it’s possible the plant has already spread and could cost a lot of money to clean up.
Boat owner June Woollard was getting her boat ready for a spin when she noticed something new in the water.
“I’ve never seen this rug of…whatever it is…weeds,” June said.
It’s hydrilla, and even though there are already thick mats of it around, this is only the beginning.
“It has the potential to spread beyond the Cayuga Inlet to the other Finger Lakes and even potentially the Great Lakes,” Holly Menninger, with Cornell’s Invasive Species Research Institute, said.
Hydrilla can grow up to an inch a day and 25 feet long. If just a little piece breaks off, it can float out into the lake and take root there, not only choking out native plants, but clogging waterways for boaters.
June, who’s planning a trip to Cayuga Lake says, “It’s awful. It’s really going to ruin everyone’s summer. The kayaks, the canoes, everything, they are going to be hampered.”
And even when the leafy parts die in the winter, special storage tubes are already taking root, making way for even more plants next year.
“It’s a really good invader in the sense that it spreads quickly,” Menninger said.
Florida spends up to $30 million per year unclogging its canals. Environmental experts are trying to figure out the best way to get rid of the problem before it gets that bad.
Cornell is working with the Department of Environmental Conservation and Canal Corporation to develop a plan of action.
