Boat owners and marina owners are a key link in stopping the spread of Hydrilla from infested waters to other areas of the Albemarle watershed. Also, citizen scientists and the general public can help.

Raise awareness of the issue by sharing resources or this brochure.

If you think you have found a new infestation of Hydrilla, report it.

Boat Owners

Hydrilla is easily spread through boats and trailers that are not properly cleaned. Photo by Rob Emens.

All types of watercraft have the potential to spread Hydrilla, including canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, personal watercraft and sail boats in and out of the water. Boat cleaning helps stop the spread of this and many other invasive species.

Here are some steps boat owners can take:

• Check for, remove and dispose of ALL vegetation in or on your boat and boat trailer after each use. Place any suspicious vegetation in a trash bag and get rid of it at a plant disposal station or trash receptacle, or on the ground in an area well above the high-water mark.
• Look for material trapped between the boat and trailer, inside any open tubing on the trailer, and around taillights and license plates.
• Drain, dry and clean bilges, drop keels, live wells and anything else on the boat that can retain water before moving to another water body.
• Allow boats and trailers to fully air dry (five days or more is preferable) so any hidden plants will completely dry out between boating in different bodies of water OR take boats and trailers to the nearest car wash for a good cleaning.

Marina Owners

Here are some steps marina owners can take:

• Train marina staff to identify Hydrilla and inform boaters of what to do if they find the weed.
• Inform all boaters about the current Hydrilla status.
• Promote the importance of clean boating practices to boaters.
• Check and clean lifts and trailer equipment in the boat yard each time they are used.
• Consider building a plant disposal station. Make sure your boaters know where they are and how to use them correctly. At a minimum, designate an area high above the water line where any vegetation removed during cleaning can be disposed of safely. Students from J.A. Holmes High School in Edenton are helping to install stations at Wildlife Resource Commission boat ramps throughout Chowan County.

Citizen Scientists

Consider becoming a Hydrilla Guerilla. Organize or become part of a trained group of volunteers that complete boat-based surveys for specific watersheds to document Hydrilla infestations.

Training sessions are held in late summer. Surveys take place from late summer to the middle of autumn.

Interested? Contact Gloria Putnam at gloria_putnam@ncsu.edu or 919-513-0117.

General Public

If you think you have found a new infestation of Hydrilla, report it.

Removing Hydrilla by hand is discouraged. Any activity that cuts or breaks apart weeds carries the risk of spreading fragments to other areas, especially with Hydrilla. Additionally, hand harvesting Hydrilla is not effective long-term control because if you do not remove the entire plant, including the tubers buried deep in the soil, it will re-sprout. .

If you attempt to remove Hydrilla by hand, minimize fragmentation and capture all pieces. Large fishing nets can be used to help catch some of the fragments, although they are not likely to get all of them.

Note: Any dredging or bottom-disturbing activities in coastal areas require a permit from the N.C. Division of Coastal Management.