The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Division of Water Resources, in collaboration with several local entities, will begin treating the Eno River for hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant, from May 29 through August 31. The treatment involves cooperation with Eno River State Park, the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, City of Durham, Durham County, Town of Hillsborough, and Orange County.
The targeted area spans approximately 22 miles of the river, starting downstream from Ben Johnston Lake’s dam near Kings Highway Park in Hillsborough to West Point on the Eno in Durham. A two-injection system will be used to apply herbicide at specified rates based on the river’s flow.
The herbicide concentration is within limits approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is deemed safe for swimmers and boaters while being non-toxic to fish and wildlife. For further details on water quality safety during this period, individuals can contact the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services at (919) 707-5900.
Hydrilla was first discovered in Lake Orange within the Eno River watershed in the early 1990s. This invasive species forms dense mats that hinder recreational activities and affect native vegetation as well as aquatic and bird species.
In 2015, the Eno River Hydrilla Management Task Force introduced fluridone to a 16-mile treatment zone within Eno River State Park in Orange and Durham counties. This marked the first successful use of this herbicide in a North Carolina river to combat hydrilla.
The task force includes representatives from federal, state, and local governments such as North Carolina State Parks, N.C. Division of Water Resources Aquatic Weed Control Program, and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. They have been addressing hydrilla threats since 2007.
For more information about this project, visit DEQ’s website or contact Drew Gay at (919) 707-9020 or via email at andrew.gay@deq.nc.gov.
