Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
WALTHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Wednesday morning was a bad day to be an invasive species in the Charles River.
On Wednesday, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) sprayed sections of the Charles River to get rid of invasive aquatic plant species. Most of the clean-up occurred near the Moody Street Dam in Waltham, Mass., and the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge in Newton, Mass.
Vanessa Curran with DCR said getting rid of the invasive plants was crucial for recreational activities in those sections of the river.
“It makes it extremely hard for recreation. You really can’t get a boat motor or paddles through there,” said Curran.
In addition to the recreational nightmare these plants can cause, they are taking space from other plants and animals that are native to the river.
“There’s not really a lot of uses for aquatic plants in general and for these ones, they just grow to such high densities that they just overtake everything,” said Curran.
DCR officials released chemicals directly into the water from boats. Curran said the notices telling residents to avoid the river had nothing to do with safety concerns from spraying.
“It’s more just to stay out of the way of the treatment operator,” said Curran.
WBZ NewsRadio's Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.
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