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1. How do invasive plants establish themselves in additional bodies of water?

Hitchhiking is the most common. Plants can be carried on any type of water craft. The simplest kayak or canoe to the fastest speed boat can carry vegetation from one body of water to another. Trailers also facilitate hitchhiking. Boaters are urged to check and clean their boats and trailers before entering and after leaving any body of water. Water fowl such as geese or ducks that travel from other lakes and ponds often leave foreign seeds in their excrement. With the hitchhiking, if the conditions of the new water body are favorable then the invasive plants will establish a new colony and flourish.

2. Are there invasive plants in Coventry Lake?

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) conducted an aquatic plant survey of Coventry Lake in 2008. The lake was divided into 19 sections with a total of 170 unique sample points. Two varieties of invasive plants were identified.

Curly leaf pond weed was found in 4 sections along the southwestern and western shores in 9 sample points. The plant abundance at these sampling points was rated as being dominant in 1 point, common in 5 points, occasional in 2 points, and rare in 1 point.

Eurasian water milfoil was identified in only 1 section of the lake along the southwestern shore and in only 1 sample point. The plant abundance was only occasional in this one area.

3. What did the survey show on non-invasive plants in Coventry Lake?

The same 2008 study showed findings on 12 other aquatic plants considered noninvasive to Coventry Lake.

American eelgrass was found in 15 of the 19 sections of the lake in 44 sample points. None of the sample points were rated with a dominant abundance and most were rated as only occasional.

Four native aquatic species were found in 3 sections of the lake along the southwestern and western shores but had less than 3 sample points each and only occasional-to-rare abundance. The four species are nodding water nymph, small pondweed, arrowhead, and little floating bladderwort.