According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, their crews recently removed an aquatic nuisance species called ‘water hyacinth’ from a Windsor-area neighborhood pond.

The plant is known for its rapid growth, which can result in the formation of a mat-like covering that blocks out sunlight and pulls oxygen from the water, negatively impacting other aquatic species. It can also impact water travel and clog irrigation ditches.

“This is why we tell aquarium and animal owners ‘don’t turn it loose!” stated Colorado Parks and Wildlife regarding the discovery.

While the plant isn’t illegal to posess in Colorado, as it is in some states, introducing the plant into natural areas is prohibited.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife includes the plant species, technically called ‘Eichornia crassipes,’ in their regulation regarding nuisance plants. Considering that the plant species is non-native to the state, it’s prohibited to release it in public and wild waters.

Colorado Department of Agriculture first detected the plant in the state’s waters in Centennial in 2010. The plant was removed and is considered eradicated, believed to have entered the water from a residential water garden dump. While there are no known wild populations of water hyacinth in Colorado, there is a population on a farm in Alamosa that has been there since 2006.

Thanks goes out to Kara Van Hoose of Colorado Parks and Wildlife for her assistance in this report.

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