Water Chestnut Wages War On New Milford Bodies of Water
Believe it or not, the water chestnut could be the next enemy to attack Connecticut rivers and lakes.
Another invasive water plant called the water chestnut has waged war in the Housatonic River, Lake Lillinonah, and Reservoir Pond in New Milford according to the NewsTimes. As of right now, they have not been introduced or seen in Candlewood Lake. If you see green bobbing leaves in a bunch in a body of water, you most likely are looking at water chestnuts. We're not talking about the "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" chestnuts.
The water chestnut is an aquatic plant with a 12 to a 15-foot stem which causes a dense mass of vegetation that blocks out native aquatic plants from receiving the proper nutrients. If they are not controlled, they can degrade water value and kill fish and possibly kill a lake or river ecosystem.
So how do you get control of these suckers? While you're boating, kayaking, or canoeing, if you see these plants you can pull them right out of the water. They will grow back eventually and will need to be pulled out again and again. If they go uncontrolled, they can destroy a body of water and its ecosystem. Click this link to learn more about how to identify and control this invasive water species.
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