Wednesday March 19, 2025
Carmichael Times —
California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) began its 2025 control efforts for invasive aquatic plants in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and its southern tributaries (Delta) this month.
Starting March 20, after press time, the Division of Boating and Waterways began herbicide treatments on water hyacinth, South American spongeplant, Uruguay water primrose, alligator weed, Brazilian waterweed, curlyleaf pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, coontail, fanwort, and ribbon weed in the Delta. The treatment start date can change, depending on weather conditions and plant growth/movement.
“DBW continues to work with the public and our local, state and federal partners to control these aquatic invasive plants to reduce or eliminate the negative impacts on people’s daily lives and businesses,” said Division of Boating and Waterways’ Deputy Director Ramona Fernandez. “The continued use of monitoring and technology allows the division to focus on the areas that best help us manage the challenges.”
These aquatic invasive plants have no known natural controls in the Delta, the West Coast’s largest estuary. They negatively affect the Delta’s ecosystem as they displace native plants that are essential to the area’s biodiversity while negatively impacting the economy, environment and public health. Continued warm temperatures help the plants proliferate at high rates.