The Threat of Water Chestnuts

Water Chestnut is a fast-producing, floating, invasive aquatic plant that we currently have in Ballston Lake. The plant is grown from seeds that settle and remain in the sediment. The seed is viable for up to 12 years. The weed appears in a circular form called a rosette. A small four petaled white flower may appear in the middle of the rosette during the summer. The seed is a sharp nutlet. The Lake Management Committee has been working diligently on an annual basis to prevent this weed from getting a strong foothold in Ballston Lake. Each year, a group of people have harvested the weeds by hand and removed the plants from the lake. This harvesting needs to be done before the seed drops in late summer. The inserted map with the WC notation and photo show what the weed looks like and where it is currently known to survive As you travel the lake, please keep an eye out for this plant. Contact Dave Pierce if you come across this invader. ( 518-399-6308 or pep416@aol.com)