Santa Fe River levels are low and the water hyacinth is spreading. Water HYACINTH has a purple blossom and it reproduces very fast. Water-hyacinth populations can double in 2 weeks. Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is one of the fastest growing invasives in our rivers. it forms dense, impenetrable mats which clog waterways, making boating, fishing and almost all other water activities impossible. It also reduces biodiversity by crowding our native plants at the water’s surface and below. Removing invasive plants takes some understanding of habitat; care for all species; and careful removal of the plant from the waterway. We will be cautious to shake out any organisms living in the plants. Removing this plant is highly regulated and requires permits from the FLDEP to remove or eradicate any and all invasive plants from State waterways.
Not to be confused with Water Lettuce, a native plant recently believed to be an invasive, feeds manatees, and shelters Florida Gar and other species.
One cannot simply harvest water hyacinth. Doing so is illegal, potentially spreading this plant into new watersheds. Only property owners on the river can get permits to remove the plants onto their land to dry. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is the agency charged with the control of this plant and their response to hyacinth mats is to contract an applicator with an airboat to spray Diquat or other herbicide on the plants.
As mentioned in a previous article Deep Dive into herbicides: Can Florida cut back on all the spraying? Water Hyacinth is a targeted invasive which FWC controls with the use of herbicides. Water hyacinth is controlled by FWC contractors using Diquat, a broad spectrum herbicide and Rodeo which is 53.8% glyphosate. The herbicide was recently applied around Rum Island, no notices were posted to warn residents or the public.
Become part of the solution to stop herbicide spraying on our river. If you want to join us, please register as a volunteer and we will contact you once we have a date and time. If you are unable to come but would like to help, consider making a donation to Our Santa Fe River, Inc. to help with our operational costs.
We also need riparian properties to get permits to help us remove the hyacinth. Sharon Stinson with the FWC (863-534-7074) will help you with the application process. Once your permit is secure, contact OSFR and we will activate the ‘Cabbage Patch team’ to pull the plant out on your land to dry.
Our Santa Fe River volunteer organization have been meeting, organizing and implementing hand-pulling techniques with the assistance of Florida Fish and Wildlife Aquatic Plant Management. Our goal is to eliminate or reduce the use of herbicides which is toxic to life and creates mats of dead vegetation which reduces oxygen levels in the river.
We will have teams in boats retrieving the plants and another on shore to shake-out invertebrates and deposit the plants in a permitted area. We will be photographing the resident invertebrates to assist with a biological assessment.
This project was originated by the late Rhonda Long who named the participants the “Cabbage Patch Team.”
Awareness is the key to understanding the ecosystem of our river. The more we know, the more we can do to participate in being better stewards of our natural world. Please join our team and become part of the good stewardship solution.
OSFR Board Member J.T.
joanne.tremblay@oursantaferiver.org
“Giving Our River A Voice”
