The New Hampshire Rivers Council is committed to the conservation and ecologically sound management of New Hampshire's rivers, watersheds and related natural resources.
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2012 River Runners Program: Introduction and Invasive Aquatic Plant Identification Exercise
Presented by Laurie G. Callahan, Aquatic Biologist
Funding provided by NH Dept. of Env. Services – Exotic Species Prevention Grant and the McIninch Foundation Water Conference Workshop Goals
• Introduce NHRC’s 2012 River Runners program
• Provide basic info about didymo & 14 prohibited invasive aquatic plant (IAP) species in NH
• Discuss elements of didymo (“rock snot”) & IAP early detection & spread prevention
• Use the Quick Key to learn basic IAP identification techniques & when to suspect you have found an IAP
• Generate interest among individuals & groups to participate in the River Runners program River Runners 2008-2010
Interns carried- out project activities – didymo & IAP surveillance, reporting and outreach River Runners 2012
No project interns involved Will hold educational outreach workshops to build volunteer teams & network Workshops to be held in 4-5 regions of NH Local & regional groups, individuals as participants Focus on didymo and IAP EARLY DETECTION & SPREAD PREVENTION Native
Nuisance
Exotic or Alien
Invasive Slide from Leslie Matthews, VT DEC
USDA National Invasive Species Information Center
An "invasive species" is defined as a species that is 1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and 2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. (Executive Order 13112).
Invasive species can be plants, animals, and other organisms (e.g., microbes). Human actions are the primary means of invasive species introductions. Ecologic Impacts
• Grow and spread rapidly
• Out-compete native plants (an additional concern if natives are rare, threatened or endangered)
• Threaten biodiversity
• Can alter natural food webs & habitats
• Can impact water quality Economic Impacts Property value decrease estimated at approx. 15% for property adjacent to infested water bodies. Projected 7-19% by region of NH for drop in sales, income and jobs lost due to perceived decrease in water quality or purity of recreational waters. (Algae blooms and IAP infestations are included.) Significant impacts experienced by local communities – especially when local economy is dependent on recreation related to a water body. Millions of dollars spent on IAS control in New England; approx. $500,000 spent annually managing water chestnut on Lake Champlain in VT & NY; in 2008 $64,0000 spent by Little Sebago Lake Assoc. in ME on variable milfoil control & removal; to-date in 2008 Danforth Pond, Freedom had spent approx. $90,000 on variable milfoil management.
IAP Can Interfere With Recreational Uses and Aesthetic Enjoyment Imagine Swimming, Boating or Fishing Under These Conditions!
Photo from VT Department of Environmental Conservation
Photo by L. Callahan What are the potential economic impacts in New Hampshire? ….in 2012
Free workshops in 4-5 NH regions Regional perspective for workshops; PowerPoint presentation with plant ID session and a local field site visit Local or regional groups as participants Build volunteer network Focus on EARLY DETECTION, with documentation, & SPREAD PREVENTION General Approach Toward IAP Awareness, Spread Prevention and Management
Early detection
Spread prevention strategies & education
Control – rapid response & long term management strategies Detecting the Presence of IAS is a Crucial Element:
• Documentation of presence is important to track their spread or to initiate spread prevention or management strategy.
• Important to document that IAS are NOT present.
• Awareness of presence may decrease the chances that it will spread - locally or to another location.
• Important for controlling their impact on vulnerable habitats and native species
• The earlier an IAS population is found the less costly it will be to control - ecological, monetary & effort How do aquatic invaders spread?
Fragmentation of certain plants are a major way they are spread – usually through human activity and also via transport by water currents. See the NH DES “Attention Boaters” brochure for the map of IAP and didymo locations In 2007,the first occurrences of the invasive alga “didymo”, or rock snot, were found in the northeast - along the northern reaches of the CT River (VT/NH).
Since then, it has been found to occur in several other rivers in the northeast and New England.
WARNING
The invasive algae “didymo” is present in this river STOP ROCK SNOT
After leaving this water: CHECK - Remove all visible clumps of algae and plant material from fishing gear, waders, clothing, water shoes and sandals, canoes and kayaks, and anything else that has been in the water. CLEAN – Scrub thoroughly then soak all items for at least ten minutes in very hot water with LOTS of soap. Felt sole waders need 30 minutes!!!! Get more information: In Vermont contact the VT DEC at 802-241-3777 or visit www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/dec.htm In New Hampshire, contact the NH DES at 603-271-2248
or visit www.des.state.nh.us/wmb/exoticspecies/ Please do your part – Don’t Spread Didymo!
Didymo – near Stony Brook, a tributary of the White River in VT
Didymo – CT River Pittsburg, NH
It may look SLIMY, but is described as feeling like “felt”, “cottony” or having the texture of Photos from Amy Smagula NH DES a “wet cotton ball” or “wet wool”. Didymo is a type of single-celled diatom algae. Diatoms have silica cell walls. The stalk of Didymo can be many times larger than the cell. The negative impacts of Didymo “blooms” are generally due to the massive production of stalk material. This is Rock Snot in a New Zealand river. What are Didymo’s environmental impacts?
Didymo can change:
Stream Macroinvertebrates. The population will likely change to invertebrate communities more tolerant of habitat degradation. The stream bottom. The stalks trap fine sediment making a thick mat. This reduces habitat for native algae and the ability for macroinvertebrates to move and feed. It can then effect fish that consume the macroinvertebrates. The stream appearance. The long stalks are unappealing. When the stalks die they can look like toilet paper, giving the appearance of a sewage leak.
Identifying Didymo in the field Field Conditions: Lower nutrients Rivers or streams with stable bottoms Water flow is generally moderate to such as cobble or rock moderately fast. Water conditions are usually clear, cool (optimal temperature is about 600F) High light penetration
CHECK YES, it may be Didymo NO, it’s probably THE: not Didymo Location Mostly clear flowing Deep silty areas water with rocky bottom. with no rocks or plants, highly colored water. Color Tan, light brown or Green or dark whitish. brown/black. Texture Clumps of ropy strands, Thin layers, slippery rough cottony, fibrous. or gelatinous. Appearance No leaves or roots (but Leaves or roots. may attach to leaves or Looks like an stems). Sometimes aquatic plant. mistaken for fiberglass, toilet paper or tissue. How does Didymo spread??
The alga is small - it can another waterbody. go unobserved as a single Any recreational cell. equipment can spread It can remain alive for Didymo - bait buckets, several weeks out of water if neoprene diving gear, water kept moist. shoes/sandals, canoes, Felt soled waders are kayaks, life jackets, etc. often to blame - fishermen use them to grip on slippery rock bottoms. The alga attaches to the felt, and if not cleaned can spread to Felt-soled waders are now banned in VT.
Slide from Leslie Matthews, VT DEC Slide from Leslie Matthews, VT DEC
NH’s “Frightful 14” prohibited exotic aquatic plant species Not yet found in NH: Variable milfoil Hydrilla Eurasian milfoil European frogbit Fanwort Yellow floating heart Curly leaf pondweed Parrotfeather Water chestnut Flowering rush European water nymph This image cannot currently be displayed. It is illegal to possess, Brazilian waterweed transport, introduce or sell Purple loosestrife these 14 aquatic plant species in NH. Common reed/Phragmites (Please take a look at the “Frightful Fourteen” brochure) Variable milfoil Eurasian milfoil Parrotfeather Fanwort
Submersed
Curly leaf European Brazilian pondweed water nymph waterweed Hydrilla
Floating-leaved
Water Yellow Floating European Chestnut Heart Frogbit The remaining 3 species of NH’s “Frightful Fourteen” are Wetland or Riparian Plants
Common reed
Flowering
Purple (Photos from NH DES & IPANE) rush loosestrife Most Prevalent IAP in New Hampshire Variable milfoil found in 69 NH water bodies – 59 lakes/ponds, 10 rivers
(Photo by L. Callahan) (Photo by D. Buckley) Variable Milfoil, Brown Brook inlet to Variable Milfoil, Cobbossee Stream, Lake Arrowhead, York County, Maine Kennebec County, Maine Variable Milfoil – in channel between Squam Lake & Little Squam Lake (several years ago)
Photo by Dan Buckley, University of ME, Farmington Photo from NH DES Little Ossipee River, York County, Maine
Photos by L. Callahan
Variable milfoil Variable milfoil in the Little Ossipee River, York County, Maine Photo by L. Callahan
Eurasian milfoil in the Connecticut River, Orford, NH (2007)
Photo by Laurie Callahan
Below: Eurasian milfoil in the Retreat Meadows backwater of the West River before conver- gence with the CT River. (Brattleboro, VT, 2004)
Above: Eurasian milfoil in the Connecticut River, between Brattleboro, VT & Hinsdale, NH. (2007) Photos by Laurie Callahan Variable milfoil Water chestnut
Nashua River Nashua, NH Curly leaf pondweed Fanwort
Eurasian milfoil European water nymph Aquatic Plant ID Exercise – Using the Quick Key During the plant identification exercise we will use Maine VLMP’s Quick Key for determining whether a plant sample suspiciously resembles one of the 11 submersed or floating leaved species on NH’s “Frightful Fourteen” list. Some Basics of Aquatic Plant Identification
Aquatic Plants in the Littoral Zone
Floating Leaved Emergent Submersed Basic Descriptions of
Aquatic Plant Structure Leaf Arrangement
on Stem
Alternate
Opposite
Whorled Leaf Type
Entire Serrate Divided or Toothed Divided Leaf Patterns
Branched Forked Feathered
2012 River Runners Program 4-5 free River Runners workshops will be offered in June & July Regional perspective for workshops Workshops include a PowerPoint presentation with plant ID session, a local field site visit to perform an IAP or didymo screening survey or to practice using the Quick Key for IAP identification If you, and other members of your organization, are interested in participating in a workshop please provide your contact info on the sign-up sheet. Thanks! Contact: Beth Flagler, Program Administrator New Hampshire Rivers Council [email protected] 603.228.6472 54 Portsmouth Street Concord, NH 03301