Look for Hydrilla in creeks, rivers, bays and elsewhere, especially in the spring through autumn.

If you think you have found a new infestation of Hydrilla, help state agencies track the plant by reporting the sighting.

Go here to see known infestations in the Albemarle Sound watershed.

Report a Sighting

There are several ways you can report a sighting:

• Online to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Directly to North Carolina Sea Grant

Confirm it is Hydrilla

Refer to this brochure to identify the Hydrilla.

Still Not Sure?

Gather a sample, take good photos and contact your County Cooperative Extension Office for help identifying Hydrilla.

Get a Good Specimen and Photos

Follow these tips to get good samples and photos of the Hydrilla you find. The photos you submit with your reports will enable experts to verify your sighting.

Sample

Hydrilla can be hard to identify and even more difficult to remove. Photo by NC State Dept of Crop Science

• Make sure you can safely and easily get a plant sample.
• Get the entire plant with the roots, if possible. Otherwise, pull off two to three stems with leaves, about 3 to 4 inches long each.
• Preserve your specimen in a plastic bag with a moistened piece of newspaper or paper towel and store in your refrigerator if you are waiting for someone to see it.
• When you are done with it, discard any suspected Hydrilla by drying it out or composting the plant. Keep it away from waterbodies.

Photos

• Take a photo of the plant in the habitat where you found it. Your images should enable the experts to determine the habitat and level of infestation.
• Place the plant on a white background.
• Take at least two photos.
  • One shot should be a close-up of the plant that shows the stem and leaves.
  • The other should show the entire plant or the whole sample you have.
• If there is a flower, take a photo of it.
• If you dig up the entire plant, take a photo of the root system.