An invasive plant that has colonized freshwater lakes from Fairbanks to the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound area is now infesting Potter Marsh in South Anchorage, state officials said on Tuesday.
Elodea, a fast-growing leafy perennial, was discovered last month in a roadside ditch in the southeastern area of the marsh, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources said.
A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee spotted the plant, a DNR statement said. A follow-up survey by state and federal invasive-plant specialists measured the infestation as something less than an acre in size and mostly restricted to the southeastern part of the Potter Marsh area, the DNR statement said.
State and federal agencies have started drafting a plan to address the infestation, DNR said. The proposal is expected to be released for public review in January and, if it is approved, agency officials hope to start carrying it out next spring.
Potter Marsh is part of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge managed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. It is visited by bird watchers, walkers, ice skaters and other recreational users.
Elodea is a popular aquarium plant but it is not native to Alaska and, once established, crowds out other plants.
Elodea was the first invasive aquatic plant discovered in Alaska.
It has been the subject of prevention and eradication programs in Alaska, including an aggressive program to eliminate it from the waters of the Lake Hood Seaplane Base at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Discovery of the plant there in 2015 raised serious concerns because of the busy floatplane traffic that could spread it to countless lakes around the state. Elodea blooms, if thick enough, can also pose safety risks to floatplanes.