by Geoff Fox
Over the last few years, there has been vegetation growth within the C&O Canal basin between Church Street and the U.S. 522 bridge ranging from lily pads closer to the bridge to American lotus blossoms in the basin along Canal Street.
Now that winter is getting closer, the vegetation has died out and left their wilted remnants sitting in the water.
The Hancock News reached out to C&O Canal National Historic Park to find out if there are any plans to clear canal of the vegetation.
“The park is aware of the flowers that bloomed in the Hancock area of the canal,” said Christina Hanson, Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers.
Hanson said since the canal is a slow-moving body of water, the canal sometimes experiences growth of wetland and aquatic plants. This has happened both historically and today.
The park does do vegetation management in watered sections of the canal, she said.
“As an example, we remove vegetation from historic features to help with the preservation of the structures of the canal,” Hanson said.
In Hancock, the park makes sure events like Barge Bash are not obstructed by plant life.
When there is removal of vegetation, Hanson said all removal is guided by federal and state best management practices for unwanted plants.
Hanson said the park will continue to monitor the area to see if the lotus, which was growing in the canal along Canal Street, is growing or contained.
“If it is growing, we plan on removing the lotus plants and seed pods to prevent further spread,” she said.
Hanson said in general, plant life growing in the canal is not unexpected, “just something that we keep an eye on and control as needed.”
There are a couple of different plants in the Hancock area the Park Service is monitoring, Hanson said.
Those plants include the native Nymphaea odorata ssp odorta, or white waterlilies, which Hanson said is a deceptive name as the flowers aren’t always white, and the non-native Nelumbo nucifera, or the sacred lotus.
The sacred lotus are frequently cultivated and can escape to aquatic habitats, she added.