Jonah Center will host two Paddle with a Purpose events
Volunteers will help clear invasive species from Floating Meadows
MIDDLETOWN – On Saturday, Middletown’s Jonah Center will host the first of two Paddle with a Purpose events to clean out the invasive water chestnut plants from the Floating Meadows, at the convergence of the Coginchaug and Mattabasset rivers.
Water chestnut, which was introduced from East Asia about 50 years ago, grows in thick clusters in the water and blocks sunlight from reaching other aquatic life. It can also make it difficult to boat through the water, Jonah Center Executive Director John Hall said.
“Invasive species are a big concern in general, and these water species are a big threat to the use of the waterway and the ecological health of the waterway,” Hall said. “It would be ideal if we could remove all the plants that we find out there.”
Volunteers with canoes and kayaks are encouraged to join the work parties, Hall said. The annual volunteer event started with the Jonah Center hosting paddles on the river, then launched from Middletown’s Harbor Park, and grew into a volunteer event when the water chestnut in the water skyrocketed.
“Before this water chestnut thing started to be an issue for us, we’d host these paddles and we’d have large numbers of people launching from Harbor Park at the time,” Hall said. “We had a large group of people interested, so we added the work, and it’s really satisfying.”
During the first cleanup in 2016, volunteers filled 48 canoes with the invasive plants. The next year, they loaded up 36 canoes.
“We were hoping the problem would be less this year, but someone went on June 1, and sure enough, the plants were back,” Hall said. “Once it gets into late July, you can’t even get a boat back there, the plants are so thick.”
According to the Connecticut River Conservancy, water chestnut infestations impede fishing, hunting, swimming and boating as the plants can cover large areas and grow 16 feet deep. The conservancy says that out of control water chestnut plants can be expensive to mitigate, but diligent removal of the plants before they seed can help keep infestations at a minimum.
Hall said volunteers can arrive at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the launch site at 181 Johnson St. If it is raining, a makeup work party will be held Sunday at the same time. A second work party is scheduled for July 13 at 9 a.m., with a rain date of July 14.
Canoes or kayaks are required, but the center will provide gloves. Volunteers are strongly encouraged to bring sunscreen and water.
“It’s a rare thing you can do to make a tangible effort on the environment outside of your own garden or backyard,” Hall said.
Kathleen McWilliams can be reached at kmcwilliams@courant.com.