2 Eastern Connecticut Lakes Getting Invasive Species Cleanup Grants

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Two eastern Connecticut bodies of water are getting grants to combat a pesky plant.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Friday announced the recipients of the fourth round of grant funding through the Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Program, with a total of $545,000 going to 13 projects to reduce impacts of aquatic invasive species on inland waters in Connecticut.

A total of $75,000 has been awarded for two lakes in eastern Connecticut:

• To the town of Coventry for Hydrilla Treatment in Coventry Lake
• To the town of East Hampton for treatment of new Hydrilla located in Lake Pocotopaug

Aquatic invasive species are "a serious threat to state ecosystems, DEEP officials said.

"They negatively impact native plants and animals, they are extremely costly to control, and the dense mats formed by invasive plants make boating, fishing, and swimming difficult," they added. "This has a direct impact on both the quality of outdoor recreation in Connecticut, and the state’s outdoor recreation economy, of which boating and fishing are the largest contributors."

Eligible project proposals included conducting a project to restore an inland water body of the state through the control and management of a population of aquatic invasive species; research projects to enhance understanding and knowledge of aquatic invasive species and/or cyanobacteria blooms (must have direct practical applicability to lakes, ponds and rivers in Connecticut); and education and outreach projects intended to enhance public awareness of aquatic invasive species and/or harmful algal blooms in Connecticut and/or promote good practices to prevent the further spread of aquatic invasive species in Connecticut’s lakes, ponds and rivers.

For control and management projects, the target species must have existed in the project water body as of Dec. 15, 2023.