This year, our team conducted aquatic field surveys across seven water bodies, including Mud Lake, South Sandy Creek, Salmon River, French Creek, Perch River, North Sandy Pond, and Muskellunge Creek. Aquatic plant surveys include using a point intercept approach, otherwise known as rake toss sampling, to assess aquatic vegetation below the surface of the water. This helps us monitor and track plant community composition of native and invasive aquatic plant assemblages in our region.

Specialized surveys were also launched this year, focused on fanwort detection along the reach of the Little Salmon River into the Bay of Lake Ontario. Since Fanwort was detected for the first time in nearshore habitats of the Great Lakes last year in Black Creek, our team launched a rapid response effort to gauge the establishment of this species, and how far downstream towards Lake Ontario the population has spread.