Two grocery bags of water chestnut were collected from Chautauqua Lake earlier this month.

Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance members as well as Roger Tory Peterson Institute and Evergreen Outfitters are urging the general public to be vigilant of the aggressive aquatic invasive species of water chestnut when they are out recreating on Chautauqua Lake.

On Aug. 2, employees from Western New York Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management surveyed previous water chestnut detection points in the Chautauqua Lake Outlet. They located and removed “two very full grocery bags” of this species along the first point on the descending left bank of the outlet downstream of Carlson’s Boat Livery. These employees observed this plant growing in dense stands of native water lily species which made it difficult to locate.

A group of five volunteers led by Alliance and RTPI staff paddled up the Chautauqua Lake Outlet to survey historical water chestnut detection points on Aug. 10. The closest historical water chestnut detection point was located approximately one mile upriver from the McCrea Point Park Boat launch on the descending right bank of the outlet. While performing visual water chestnut surveys near this point in dense stands of native water lily, one of the volunteer task force paddlers notified the group leader that she found one individual water chestnut plant.

The project leader recorded a GPS point, removed the individual plant, and took pictures. Upon visual inspection of the plant, there did not appear to be any seeds left on the rosettes. This plant was disposed of in an onsite trash receptacle at McCrea Point Park. The photos and details of this report were uploaded to the state invasive species reporting website iMapInvasives. The iMapInvasives presence report number for this occurrence is 1026031.

Aquatic invasive species early detection paddles like the one held on 08/10/19 are critically important for the early detection and removal of priority aquatic invasive species in Chautauqua Lake to prevent any larger infestations. Any sightings of water chestnut should be reported to RTPI (716)-665-2473 or WNY PRISM at (716)-878-4708.