This month the LIISMA team monitored Artist Lake in Middle Island to follow-up on the manual control of Ludwigia peploides that was begun by NYSDEC, Town of Brookhaven, and LIISMA in December 2021. Abby Bezrutczyk, Haley Gladitsch, Melody Penny, and Bill Jacobs returned to survey the entire lake for L. peploides, commonly known as floating water primrose or ludwigia. The infestation at Artist Lake is the first known infestation of ludwigia outside of the Peconic River in the region. Ludwigia presents a very high threat to the Carmans River, located approximately 3,000 feet to the west of the lake.
LIISMA kayaked and walked the shoreline perimeter on July 15, 2022. LIISMA encountered a previously unrecorded population of L. peploides of about 250 square feet (50 by 5 feet) in size and about 5% to 75% cover, at the southeast shore of the lake, plus some small outliers. This population was flowering at the time of the survey, with most of the population anchored on the shoreline rather than floating. Three isolated individuals were detected along the shoreline, manually removed, and disposed of. Additionally, LIISMA conducted thirty rake tosses from kayaks to assess the submerged aquatic community, with no additional aquatic invasive species found (data recorded on SAS Pro, iMapInvasives).
LIISMA is also surveying the upper portions of the Carmans River, down through to Lily Lake in Yaphank, to see if there are other infestations of ludwigia in the vicinity of Artist Lake. LIISMA surveyed Upper Yaphank Lake on July 20 and did not find ludwigia.
Ludwigia can be spread by waterfowl and by contaminated boats, equipment, and fishing gear. Plans are being made to manually control all ludwigia found at Artist Lake until it is eradicated from the site, which will continue this field season.
Want to learn more about aquatic invasive species? Check out our resource page For Anglers and Boaters to find out how aquatic invasive species can get established, spread, and what you can do to help protect our waters!
