The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Division of Water Resources, in collaboration with several local and state entities, will begin treating the Eno River for hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant, from May 29 through August 31. The initiative involves 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 treatment will span 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 employed to administer the herbicide at rates aligned with the river’s flow.
The concentration of herbicide used is within limits approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and deemed safe for swimmers and boaters while being non-toxic to fish and wildlife. For more information regarding 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 identified in Lake Orange within the Eno River watershed in the early 1990s. Known for forming dense mats that hinder recreational activities, it also negatively impacts native vegetation and aquatic life.
In 2015, fluridone was introduced by the Eno River Hydrilla Management Task Force to a 16-mile zone primarily within Eno River State Park in Orange and Durham counties. This marked its first successful use against hydrilla in a North Carolina river though it has been used elsewhere for years.
The task force includes representatives from federal, state, and local government agencies such as North Carolina State Parks, the N.C. Division of Water Resources Aquatic Weed Control Program, and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. They have been addressing hydrilla threats since 2007.
For further details on this project or inquiries about hydrilla management efforts along the Eno River, visit DEQ’s website or contact Drew Gay at (919) 707-9020 or via email at andrew.gay@deq.nc.gov.
