Research for Developing Strategies to Manage Invasive Aquatic Plants and Harmful Algal Blooms in Public Waters of the US

Freshwater ecosystems provide direct and indirect contributions to human well-being, impacting our survival, quality of life, and National security. These systems are jeopardized by the continued establishment and spread of aquatic invasive plants (AIP), including harmful algal blooms (HAB), throughout the Nation. These nuisance species pose an existential threat to ecosystem services, impacting drinking water supplies, irrigated food and fiber production, fish and wildlife habitat, flood control, navigation, industrial water use, economic and social benefits.

The future sustainability of key freshwater resources in the U.S. mandates innovative and holistic strategies to manage infestations of AIP in an accelerated timeline for their restoration and conservation. To expedite and ensure a scientifically sound process, ERDC is developing and evaluating AIP management with on a national scale. The recent establishment and spread of hydrilla biotypes in the Eastern US, giant salvinia populations along the Gulf Coast, and flowering rush stands in the Pacific Northwest require expansion of capabilities, geographical footprint, and technical partnerships to address these plant infestations, and provide science-based solutions for species-selective and large-scale management activities to protect major waterways.

The USACE ERDC is seeking a partner institution to identify opportunities for the development and evaluation of multi-scale AIP management techniques and strategies in major regional watersheds that are infested with plants such as hydrilla, giant salvinia, and flowering rush, among others.

Year one (1) will establish the initial structure of the project and includes tasks that support the following objectives. If funded, years two (2), three (3), four (4), and five (5) would continue to expand major elements of the research project and build a diverse portfolio of collaborative projects and work efforts.

Objective 1: Project Locations and Initiation of Data-based Evaluations for Management Strategies. This objective prioritizes initial research activities that are focused on identifying, ground-truthing, and documenting project locations and specific sites for the collection of new data to evaluate site-specific management techniques including: (1) biotic and abiotic characterization of evaluation sites (quantitative vegetation assessments - AIP and non-target plants); 2) presence of listed species; 3) acreage of site, average water depth, water exchange processes); and 4) key water quality parameters (temp, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity). At least one site should be selected primarily from the Eastern US region. Secondary sites would be from the Gulf Coast and Pacific Northwest.

Objective 2: Experimentation to Close Data Gaps. This objective focuses on empirical research to close data gaps and transfer results through technology transfer mechanisms. Part of this objective is to organize interdisciplinary technical teams to plan and conduct studies during year one of the project. Joint teams will comprise scientists to partner with ERDC in the development and evaluation of environmentally compatible strategies to selectively manage AIP. These strategies include: 1) the use of chemical herbicides; 2) bio-suppression techniques; 3) mechanical/physical methods, and 4) integration of selected approaches 1 through 3.

Additionally, education and outreach activities on the need, methods, and benefits for managing AIP in public waters will be conducted at the conclusion of each study. These activities will be undertaken as technical webinars, workshops, training sessions, field tours, reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, sponsor briefings, and presentations at professional meetings. Education/outreach and technology transfer audiences will include the public, agencies, legislators, industry, media outlets, and all other stakeholders and practitioners.

Deliverables: Upon completion of Objectives 1-2, the selected academic institution will develop a report that documents the project locations and includes a summary of the management strategies that were identified, considered and/or ultimately recommended during the research effort. The report will also include information explaining the management strategies and their limits, and the potential effects of implementing such strategies to restore, manage, and/or preserve selected project locations in major watersheds, focused on the Eastern US, Gulf Coast, and Pacific Northwest regions initially, and may expand to other regions as opportunities become available.