
Quick Facts | Monitoring data 2012-2018
(August 2018) – Hydrilla, an extremely aggressive aquatic plant, was found in Ithaca in early August 2011. National experts on Hydrilla and local resource managers/stewards agree that an approach including the use of herbicides is the best method to achieve eradication of Hydrilla.
Total eradication is a long-term process; however the treatment over the past seven years has been very successful, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the number of rooted Hydrilla plants and ungerminated tubers now being observed.
Tompkins County has previously addressed Hydrilla through hand-removal, benthic barriers, and by applying herbicide (both Endothall and Fluridone) in Cayuga Lake under permit from the NYSDEC. (Yearly monitoring data from this initiative can be found below.) This summer, Komeen Crystal will be used to target this invasive species. Komeen has been previously used as an herbicide in Cayuga Lake to control patches of Hydrilla near Aurora.
Komeen Crystal is granular chelated copper herbicide that will be applied below the water surface at a rate of 1.0 part per million (ppm). Copper is a metal that naturally occurs in the environment and low levels present no threat to human health. There will be no restrictions on fishing and swimming during this application process. The Tompkins County Health Department will continue monitoring the health of Cayuga Lake and regularly post results online.
Questions can be directed to the Environmental Health Division at (607) 274-6688.