Onondaga County Office of the Environment - Water Chestnut Management

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Water Chestnut Management

The Onondaga County Water Chestnut Management Program seeks to reduce the presence of invasive Water Chestnut species in our local waterways. Water chestnuts are a type of aquatic plant that produces seeds with stinging barbs. The plant can reproduce at an alarming rate, resulting in a dense and wide mat of individual plants floating in close proximity to one another on the surface of the water. What is the issue here? This makes it impossible for boaters, swimmers, and other recreational users to enjoy the water body. It can also block almost 95% of the sun's rays from reaching other aquatic plants and reduce the percentage of dissolved oxygen in the water, all of which are harmful to both plants and fish. Because Water Chestnut seeds can live up to fifteen years, clearing them out of our waterways is an important aspect in keeping them healthy. The County’s five-year plan aims to cut the Water Chesnut cover in half.

Download a copy of the Onondaga County Water Chestnut Management Plan here

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