Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes ofwebsite accessibility
Weather Alert
WIND ALERT
Show Less
Close Alert

'It overtakes everything:' Invasive aquatic plant threatens to overrun Potomac watershed.


 Trapa bispinoa is an invasive aquatic plant first discovered in the United States in Pohick Bay, which straddles Fairfax County and the Potomac River.{ } It can be a danger to aquatic life because it chokes out sunlight from getting into the water.{ } (Image: John Odenkirk){ }
Trapa bispinoa is an invasive aquatic plant first discovered in the United States in Pohick Bay, which straddles Fairfax County and the Potomac River. It can be a danger to aquatic life because it chokes out sunlight from getting into the water. (Image: John Odenkirk)
Facebook Share IconTwitter Share IconEmail Share Icon

An invasive aquatic plant found for the first time in the U.S. in our area is threatening the Potomac watershed, and it could potentially threaten aquatic life in the Potomac River and even the parts of the Chesapeake Bay.

It's a type of water chestnut called Trapa bispinoa, and it usually springs to life this time of year in freshwater ponds and lakes as summer temperatures climb.

It was first discovered in 2014 in Pohick Bay by a biologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries named John Odenkirk. It's believed to have arrived in the Potomac Watershed as early as 1995.

ALSO READ:Toxic algae growing in Rock Creek Regional Park harmful to humans and pets

Odenkirk says the aquatic plant is potentially dangerous to marine life because it creates a mat on the surface of the water, blocking sunlight.

"It's a monoculture, which means it overtakes everything," Odenkirk says.

It's essentially choking everything out underneath it, and that can be problematic.

Odenkirk and a team of volunteers worked diligently to remove the species from Pohick Bay upon its discovery in 2014, but Odenkirk says it's hard to eradicate. He says the currents of the Potomac River can carry it to just about anywhere.

One reason the plant can be hard to get rid of, Odenkirk says, is because the infestations are in areas not easily accessible.

"It usually turns up in stormwater, irrigation ponds, and on private land," Odenkirk says.

According to a report by Nancy Rybicki, a retired scientist with the United States Geological Survey, Trapa bispinoa had been discovered in at least 53 locations in Northern Virginia in 2019.

The report suggests that the plant likely originated in the Far East near Taiwan, but how it made it on to U.S. soil is not known.

"There is no Trapa bispinosa in the U.S. anywhere except the Potomac Watershed, to my knowledge," Rybicki says. "I have done my best to verify that."


HOW TO SPOT IT


Trapa bispinoa can easily be confused with another invasive water chestnut plant already in the U.S. called Trapa natans.

Trapa natans can be found on Maryland's Upper Shore and in various parts of the Northeast. It was found in the Potomac in the 1950s and was driven out by the Army Corp of Engineers.

Trapa bispinoa is recognizable because its fruits have two horns, compared to the four-horned Trapa natans. Trapa bispinoa also sprouts flowers that are pink in color, compared to white flowers sprouted by Trapa natans.

If you spot Trapa bispinoa, you are asked to file a report with USGS by clicking here.

ALSO READ: 'It's a hidden gem.' Families flock to swimming hole in rural portion of Montgomery County


WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS REMOVAL?


Odenkirk says it's unclear what agency in the state is responsible for its removal. He says the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is a user-fee agency and doesn't have the manpower to handle such a massive undertaking.

"We are legally responsible for animals, fish, and wildlife," Odenkirk says. "We are not responsible for plants or water. It's very unclear who is responsible for aquatic plant and invasive or problematic species."


It seems local government officials aren't sure either.


ABC7 reached out to Rep. Don Beyer, who oversees the 8th District of Virginia which includes Pohick Bay and huge portions of the Potomac Watershed.

A spokesperson with Rep. Beyer's office responded with:

At this time, this appears to be more of a local matter, and we will see what actions follow. However, if anything comes our way and requires action from us we will definitely let you know.

So ABC7 reached out to the office of Daniel G. Storck with the Fairfax County Board of supervisors who oversees the Mount Vernon District. A spokesperson from that office said:

Unfortunately, I don’t think our office or the County will be much help with this inquiry.

Mr. Storck's office was kind enough to reach out to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on our behalf who said, " nobody on our staff has enough background on this particular plant to provide more in-depth detail."

ABC7 then reached out to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, where a spokesperson that the DEQ serves on the state's invasive species advisory committee with several other agencies, but they don't oversee the Potomac Watershed.

We oversee nutrient trading and wetland and stream mitigation banks, both of which have requirements to control invasive species.

So it's still not clear which Virginia agency is actually tasked which controlling the species. Individuals can take action by harvesting it and removing it upon finding it or reporting it to the USGS.

Once again, the link to report any sightings can be found here.

ALSO READ: Watch a chainsaw artist turn a lightning-damaged tree into a sculpture in Fairfax County










Loading ...