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upcoming events

May 24
Mystic Lakes Dam Open House, 3-7pm
Upper Mystic Lake Dam, Medford

June 5
Committee Meeting, 7-9pm
Tufts University, Lincoln Filene Center Rabb Room, Medford
*Guest presentation: Iron Horse Preservation Society, 7pm

 June 13
Water Quality Monitoring Training, 6-8pm
Mystic Learning Center, Somerville
Register today - space is limited.

WATER CHESTNUT

Hand harvesting Water Chestnuts in the Mystic RiverThe Water Chestnut (Trapa natans) is native to Asia, Europe and Africa. It was introduced in 1897 by a gardener as an ornamental plant in Fresh Pond in Cambridge. In Medford, parts of the Mystic River are barely passable due to water chestnuts that are working hard to extend their habitat from shore to shore. These floating-leaved plants form dense, continuous mats over the water surface of lakes, ponds and slow-moving waters. The mats in turn impede boating, fishing, and swimming, and crowd out native plants. Decomposition of large quantities of water chestnuts may result in lower dissolved oxygen levels, which can lead to fish kills.

Volunteers have worked with local and state officials to organize removal of the plants by hand. Many areas including Little Pond, Little River, Yates Pond, Alewife Brook and Spy Pond are now free of water chestnuts since these vigilant water stewards have hand-pulled the plants year after year, assuring and tracking their demise. However, the spread of the chestnuts now appears beyond the abilities of the hand-pullers in the Arlington Reservoir and the Mystic River in Medford. Partnering with Groundwork Somerville, Friends of the Mystic River, Riverside Yacht Club, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, and many volunteers, MyRWA is participating in a multi-year effort to address the problem and are researching potential sources of much-needed funding for mechanical harvesting in 2011.


Mechanical Harvester removes Water Chestnuts in the Mystic River 2010

WATER CHESTNUT REMOVAL PROJECT

Roger Frymire, a long time volunteer in the Mystic River watershed, has completed the Ten Year Project Review of water chestnut eradication in the Alewife Brook sub-watershed.

 

OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES

Invasive Species are species that are not native to an area and significantly alter the ecosystems they populate. Invasive species frequently aggressively colonize their new habitat, oftentimes outcompeting, displacing, or killing native species. Many invasive species are introduced to their new habitats accidentally.Image courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service

In the Mystic River Watershed some invasive plants include:

Massachusetts has a Prohibited Plants list, effective since 2006.

Invasive species pose a threat to the Mystic River Watershed by altering the ecology of the infested area. For example, these invaders can reduce the amount of light, water, nutrients and space available to native species, effecting water quality and the capacity of native species to survive. Additionally, invasive species can alter hydrological patterns, soil chemistry, moisture-holding capacity, and erodibility. Get involved today with an invasive species removal effort!

 

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

  • Pull up existing plants.
  • Boaters are encouraged exercise caution in not spreading the seeds: much of their spread can be eliminated by inspecting boats, trailers, and fishing gear that may inadvertently carry the seeds far and wide.
  • Volunteer. Volunteers are most needed in May and June as plants can be removed before seeds begin to grow. Additional hand-pulling can be effective through July.
  • Donate. Your donation will help MyRWA organize and implement a water chestnut removal program.

 

NATIVE PLANTS

 Curious about Native Plants in this area? Click here.

 

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