What is Hydrilla and why you should care....

Hydrilla, the Godzilla of Aquatic Invasive Plants -
Help stop it in its tracks!

WELCOME TO LANTERN HILL VALLEY, HOME TO OUR LAKES—LONG POND, BUSH POND, AND LANTERN HILL POND—AS WELL AS OUR WEEDS!

The lakes of Long Pond, Bush Pond, and Lantern Hill Pond in Lantern Hill Valley are currently infested with four aquatic invasive species (AIS). Our lakes have three invasive plants: Fanwort, Eurasian watermilfoil, and variable-leaf watermilfoil, commonly referred to as "weeds", and one invasive clam, an Asian clam. These plant species are actively spreading and have begun to interfere with recreational activities such as swimming and boating. Although northern hydrilla, a recently identified invasive species in the United States first observed in the Connecticut River, has not yet been detected in these lakes, it poses an emerging threat. Like hydrilla, these invasive plants spread through fragments that develop new roots; as wind or water currents transport these fragments to different locations within the water bodies, they establish new colonies once the roots take hold in the sediment.

WHAT IS THE LANTERN HILL VALLEY ALLIANCE (LHVA) DOING?

We have engaged Hillary Kenyon of Applied Watershed Sciences, an expert in lake management, to evaluate the health of the Lantern Hill Valley Lakes - Long Pond, Bush Pond, and Lantern Hill Pond. In partnership with the CT DEEP AIS Program and using data from lake surveys and water quality assessments, Ms. Kenyon will work with our community to develop a comprehensive long-term management strategy for our current AIS and an Emergency Action Plan if hydrilla is detected in any of the lakes.
Bringing volunteers together to form the Hydrilla Watch Team (read more below)
Attending public gatherings to speak about the dangers of AIS to our waterbodies;
Hosting youth Summer Lake Camp Day programs during July for Lakes Appreciation Month;
Hosting tables at events, such as the Ledyard Farmers' Market, to share information about AIS and best boating practices to STOP THE SPREAD of AIS between waterbodies - CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY - https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Boating/Cleaning-Tips-For-Your-Boat
Encouraging all individuals to support the AIS Stamp Program, extending beyond those mandated—such as boaters and fishermen. The AIS Stamp Fund allocates resources to organizations, such as the LHVA, that aim to address invasive plants (weeds) and animals within their lakes or rivers. The benefits of this fund are shared by all, whether you engage in boating, swimming, reside on the waterbody, or simply seek moments of tranquility and contemplation along the shoreline. The AIS Stamp Fund plays a vital role in maintaining the health of our lakes! https://portal.ct.gov/deep/boating/faqs/faq-ais-stamp

Acknowledgments:

The Lantern Hill Valley Alliance expresses sincere appreciation for the financial support received for this project from the following sources: 1) Connecticut Lakes, Rivers and Ponds Preservation Account via the CT DEEP Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Program; 2) the Town of Ledyard; and 3) the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut Environmental Grant Program.

WHAT IS THE GODZILLA OF ALL AQUATIC PLANTS??? HYDRILLA!
Learn why hydrilla is the #1 threat to all of Connecticut's beautiful lakes, rivers, and ponds.
With your support, we can work together to stop it before it spreads further! Join us in protecting our waters today!

Hydrilla verticillata ssp. lithuanica, commonly known as northern hydrilla or Connecticut River hydrilla,
is often dubbed "the perfect weed" and the Godzilla of the aquatic plant community!

Northern hydrilla has emerged as the most destructive environmental threat to New England’s freshwater ecosystems. This highly aggressive, invasive aquatic plant is the Godzilla of the aquatic plant community and is rapidly spreading across Connecticut and neighboring states. The Connecticut River strain (aka northern hydrilla) is genetically distinct from other known U.S. strains. While it lacks the underground root tubers typical of southern strains, it is incredibly robust, adapts seamlessly to northern winter climates, and branches extensively at the surface. Instead of tubers, this hydrilla species produces turions on its branches, which fall into the sediment to overwinter and sprout a new plant in the spring. Hydrilla branches are fairly brittle and may break off in winds and during boating activity, drifting to other areas of the waterbody and carrying turions.

Why It Poses Such a Severe Threat

Unstoppable Propagation: Hydrilla reproduces easily through fragmentation and turions. If a boat propeller, an animal, or a wave breaks off a tiny piece of the stem, that fragment floats away, takes root, and spawns an entirely new colony. It can grow up to an inch per day, forming dense thickets up to 25+ feet deep. Turions carried on the branches fall off and sink into the sediment, where they overwinter, sometimes for more than a year.
Ecological Destruction: By forming massive canopy mats on the water's surface, it blocks sunlight from reaching native plants (such as eelgrass and pondweeds), effectively wiping them out. As these mats decay, they deplete dissolved oxygen levels, causing severe fish die-offs and altering water chemistry.
Economic and Recreational Paralysis: Hydrilla grows so densely that it wraps around boat motors, clogs motorboat and kayak routes, and renders swimming areas unusable. This directly harms marina businesses, local tourism, and waterfront property values throughout Connecticut.

Sites for additional information: Office of Aquatic Invasive Species: https://portal.ct.gov/caes/oais/connecticut-river-project?archived=true&language=en_US . CT River Conservancy: https://www.ctriver.org/hydrilla; Informative fact sheet on northern hydrilla by UConn Extension, in collaboration with the CT Agriculture Experimental Station, https://extension.uconn.edu/publication/invasive-plant-factsheet-hydrilla-water-thyme/; or >>> print the fact sheet here.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? DON'T TAKE YOUR LAKES FOR GRANTED!
Join our Hydrilla Watch Team (HWT) monitoring program! Clean, Drain, Dry, and Support the AIS Stamp Fund program!
Boating and fishing are the primary ways hydrilla spreads to new areas in CT and other NE state waterbodies. Join us to examine the public boat launches on Long Pond and Lantern Hill Pond. The HWT will keep monitoring until October and restart next summer!
While we haven't seen any hydrilla yet, we must not let our guard down!
The LHVA HWT Coordinator, Sandy Fedors, designed a waterproof badge to make it easy to identify it and know what to do if you spot it!

What impact will Hydrilla have on the Lantern Hill Valley Lakes of Lantern Hill Pond, Long Pond, and Bush Pond?
Check the lake contour depth maps (bathymetry maps) — the hatched areas indicate where hydrilla will flourish!