1884 |
Water hyacinth introduced to the U.S. after being shown at the Worlds Fair in Louisiana. |
|
1896 |
Water hyacinths had spread throughout the St. Johns River Basin. |
|
1899 |
The Rivers & Harbors Act of 1899 authorized the Removal of Aquatic Growths (RAG) Project in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. It authorized the construction and operation of vessels and log booms for the removal and containment of water hyacinths in the waters of Florida and Louisiana. |
Congress authorized the expenditure of $25,000 for the construction of two boats to control water hyacinths, $1,000 for log booms to use with the boats, and $10,000 for operating costs in Florida and Louisiana. |
1900 |
Water hyacinth begins to be a problem on the Withlacoochee River. |
|
1901 |
A crusher boat authorized by the Rivers & Harbors Act of 1899 was built by the State of Louisiana, but was deemed impractical for large scale operations. |
|
1902 |
The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1902 was adopted by Congress to authorize the extermination and removal of water hyacinths by any mechanical, chemical or other means. A total of $50,000 was allocated for Florida, Texas and Louisiana. |
Spray operations started in November 1902 with a steamer named the LeReve. The spray compound consisted of arsenic mixed with saltpeter. This mixture made the plants attractive to cattle and generated complaints about dead cows. The saltpeter was replaced with bicarbonate without loss of efficacy. The main channel of the St. Johns River and its tributaries were cleared of water hyacinth. Spray operations continued until January 1904. |
1903 |
|
1904 |
|
1905 |
The Rivers & Harbors Act of 1905 was adopted by Congress to prohibit the use of any chemical in Florida that was injurious to cattle or man. |
Log booms were placed on tributaries to inhibit water hyacinth spread. A steamer was outfitted with a derrick for plant removal. |
1909 |
Started the use of hyacinth elevators and continued in use till 1918 as primary method of hyacinth control in the St. Johns River. |
|
1912 |
The Rivers & Harbors Act of 1912 authorized the removal of water hyacinth in Florida, Texas and Louisiana, with any unexpended resources from Texas and Louisiana being transferred to Mississippi for hyacinth removal. |
|
1913 |
Contract made to clear the Withlacoochee River of water hyacinths from Lake Istachatta to Lake Panasoffkee. A separate contract was made to control hyacinths between Lake Panasoffkee and the Florida Power Co. dam. |
|
1915 |
Hired labor cleared water hyacinth from portions of the Kissimmee River and Arbuckle Creek. |
|
1916 |
The Rivers & Harbors Act of 1916 authorized the removal of water hyacinth from the navigable waters of Florida and allocated $10,000. |
Grapple in conjunction with the steamer was tested on Haw Creek, a tributary of Lake Crescent, for water hyacinth removal. |
1919 |
St. Johns River and its major tributaries were free of water hyacinth obstructions but the Withlacoochee River still had several hyacinth blockages. |
|
1922 |
Water hyacinth began spreading in the canals surrounding Lake Okeechobee. |
Water hyacinth elevator #2 harvesting water hyacinth out of a canal. |
1923 |
|
Water hyacinth grapple used on the St Johns River.
|
1927 |
|
Water hyacinth removal quarter boat. |
1937 |
First records of operations on Lake Okeechobee with 222,600 square yards (approx. 46 acres) of water hyacinth being removed. |
|
1938 |
|
Hyacinth conveyor #1 clearing water hyacinths in Hillsboro Canal. |
1939 |
Control of hyacinth by the construction of hyacinth traps at strategic points to prevent hyacinths from entering navigation channel. Approximately 66,469 linear feet of hyacinth fence were placed on the Upper St. Johns River. |
Hyacinth Destroyer clearing hyacinths. |
1941 |
Up to 7 hyacinth destroyer boats destroyed 6,352 acres of hyacinth on the St. Johns River, 873.2 acres on Caloosahatchee River, and 839 acres on the Withlacoochee River. An additional 3,090 linear feet of hyacinth traps were installed. |
Wood hull survey boat, Caloosa. |
1947 |
2,4-D successfully controlled water hyacinths. |
Lake Okeechobee had an estimated 250 acres of water hyacinth. |
1948 |
Surveys reported water hyacinth present in most major waterways in Florida, including the St. Johns, Withlacoochee, Ocklawaha, Kissimmee, and Caloosahatchee Rivers. Crews begin using 2,4-D in March. |
Alligatorweed infestations were present in the St. Johns River. |
1949 |
Crews spray 53 acres of hyacinth and 6 acres of alligatorweed on the St. Johns. On the Withlacoochee, 557 acres of hyacinth were destroyed, 670 acres were drifted to salt water and 299 acres were sprayed. |
|
1950 |
First spray operations by plane. On the St. Johns River, 5,306 acres were sprayed by boat and 1,570 acres by plane. Chemical operations were becoming the primary method of control. |
Mechanical methods of controlling water hyacinths prove unsuccessful. |
1952 |
Florida Game & Freshwater Fish Commission (FG&FWFC) used Dingell-Johnson Federal Aid to Fisheries funds for limited water hyacinth management with 2,4-D. |
Major hyacinth bloom on the St. Johns River was removed. The St. Johns River, Okeechobee Waterway, Hillsboro River and Withlacoochee River were open to navigation and in good condition. |
1953 |
|
Florida Game & Freshwater Fish Commission expanded water hyacinth control operations with state funds. |
1954 |
|
1955 |
|
1956 |
|
1957 |
|
1958 |
The Rivers & Harbors Act of 1958, Section 104 of Public Law 85-500 authorized five year federal project funds for the control and progressive eradication of water hyacinth, alligatorweed, and other noxious aquatic plants from navigable waters, tributary streams and associated waters in the interest of navigation, flood control, drainage, agriculture, fish and wildlife conservation, public health and related purposes. |
1959 |
The US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service began a cooperative study of insects to control exotic aquatic plants. |
Hydrilla discovered in a drainage canal in Miami, Florida. Most likely released from an aquarium. |
1960 |
Florida Game & Freshwater Fish Commission entered into cost sharing contract with COE under Public Law 85-500. |
The estimated acreage of hyacinth on Lake Okeechobee and tributaries was 3,000 acres. A survey of the St. Johns River estimated 9,500 acres of hyacinth and the Ocklawaha River had approximately 3,700 acres of hyacinth infestation. |
Airboat AB-1 purchased 1960. |
1961 |
US Navy helicopter used for aerial surveys. |
Interest in research regarding the use of plant pathogens as biocontrol agents for aquatic plants was stimulated by the unexplained die-backs of certain aquatic plants. |
1962 |
The Rivers & Harbors Act of 1962, Section 104 of Public Law 87-874 amended Section 104 of the Rivers & Harbors Act of 1958. This provided that the Federal Government bear the costs for research and planning prior to construction and that these costs would not be included in cost shared projects. |
1963 |
There were 38,500 acres of hyacinth present on Kissimmee River. |
Fish and Game & Fresh Water Fish Commission (FG&FWFC) aerial spraying. |
1964 |
Spraying under the APC Cooperative Agreement started on the Kissimmee River. |
The Argentine alligatorweed flea beetle, Agasicles hygrophila, was first released in California on the Rio Hondo River to control alligatorweed infestations. |
1965 |
Public Law 89-298 authorized nationwide continuing project with funding not to exceed $5 million annually and authorized a continuing research program for the development of the most effective and economic control measures. |
The Aquatic Plant Control (APC) Program was created with an annual funding ceiling of $5 million. |
1967 |
|
The Argentine alligatorweed flea thrips, Amynothrips andersoni, was first released in California on the Rio Hondo River to control alligatorweed. |
1969 |
Aquatic Plant Trust Fund established by Chapter 371.171 FS (now 327.28 FS). |
|
1970 |
Florida Department of Natural Resources (FL DNR) designated as lead agency in aquatic plant control under Florida Weed Control Act of 1970. |
A program, partly funded by the USACE, was initiated at the University of Florida to evaluate and explore the use of plant pathogens as biocontrol agents for aquatic plants. |
1971 |
|
The South American Alligatorweed stem borer, Vogtia malloi, was released at Lake Lawne in Florida. |
1972 |
USDA published a review, funded by the USACE, on biological control of alligatorweed. |
Neochetina eichhornia, the mottled water hyacinth weevil introduced from South America, was released in Florida. |
Girl stranded in hyacinth patch. |
1973 |
The Office, Chief of Engineers designated the Waterways Experiment Station (WES), Vicksburg, MS, as the Corps' lead laboratory for aquatic plant research, thus establishing the Aquatic Plant Control Research Program (APCRP). Subsequent events were under direction of APCRP. |
Osteen Bridge was damaged by large mats of hyacinth. |
1974 |
DNR's authority expanded under Chapter 372.932 FS and maintenance control defined. |
The South American chevroned water hyacinth weevil, Neochetina bruchi, was released in Florida. |
1975 |
WES conducted studies in Louisiana involving a fungus, Cercospora rodmanii, isolated from water hyacinth on Rodman Reservoir in Florida, for control of hyacinth. |
|
1976 |
Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society (FAPMS) established. |
Aqua Marine harvester collecting hyacinths in a residential canal. |
1977 |
A monosex population of White Amur, grass carp, was released by WES at Lake Conway, Florida, for studies on the control of submersed aquatic plants. The fish is native to Florida. |
The Argentine water hyacinth moth, Niphograpta albiguttalis, was released in Florida. |
1978 |
An experimental formulation of Cercospora rodmanii was developed by a commercial firm for the control of hyacinth. |
|
1979 |
A field demonstration combining plant pathogens and insects for control of hyacinth was initiated in Louisiana. |
American Assembly Conference on the Management and Control of Aquatic Weeds held in Florida; Center for Aquatic Plants established. |
1980 |
Chapter 372.932 FS amended so that all aquatic control activities were turned over to local government and the five water management districts and FL DNR given permitting authority for all these activities, except the use of herbivorous fish; Aquatic Weed Control Council established. |
The University of Florida and the University of Massachusetts were conducting Corps' sponsored research into the use of fungal plant pathogens and microbes for control of hyacinth and Eurasian water-milfoil. |
1981 |
A full-scale search for insects on hydrilla in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Australia was initiated by the USDA under a cooperative agreement with WES. |
An Instruction Report "The Use of Insects to Manage Alligatorweed" was produced by WES. |
1982 |
The WES conducted a survey of alligatorweed in ten southern states. |
Hydrilla weevil, Bagous affinis, was introduced into US quarantine facilities as a possible biocontrol of hydrilla. |
1983 |
A workshop, attended by leading scientists in the field of genetic engineering, was held at WES to study the feasibility of applying genetic engineering technology to aquatic plant management. |
|
1984 |
Two insects, Bagous sp. for waterlettuce control, and Hydrellia sp. for hydrilla, were brought into US quarantine facilities. |
|
1985 |
A survey of the continental US was conducted for pathogens of Eurasian watermilfoil. |
Hydrellia pakistanae, a fly, was introduced into US quarantine facilities as a possible biocontrol for hydrilla. |
1986 |
An experimental formulation of a fungus and bacterium was evaluated in a small-scale field test for control of Eurasian water-milfoil by the University of Massachusetts under contract to the Corps. |
Corps' sponsored research by USDA personnel in Australia investigated three species (a weevil, fly, and moth) which impact hydrilla. |
Spodoptera pectinicornis was introduced into US quarantine facilities as a possible biocontrol agent for waterlettuce. |
1987 |
A second genetic engineering technology workshop was held at WES to discuss progress in WES-sponsored studies and to discuss advances in related technology since the 1983 workshop. |
Bagous n. sp. was introduced from Australia into US quarantine facilities as a possible biocontrol for hydrilla. |
Neohydronomous affinis, the South American waterlettuce weevil, Bagous affinis, a weevil which feeds on hydrilla tubers during low water events, and Hydrellia pakistanae, a fly which feeds on hydrilla stems and leaves, were introduced in Florida. |
1988 |
Hydrellia n. sp. was introduced from Australia into US quarantine facilities as a possible biocontrol for hydrilla. |
Experimental formulations of Mycoleptodiscus terrestris was developed for testing on Eurasian water-milfoil. |
1989 |
Hydrellia balciunasi was released as a biocontrol agent for hydrilla. |
Spodoptera pectinicornis was released in Florida as a biocontrol agent for waterlettuce. |
1990 |
A population of Hydrellia pakistanae from temperate regions was released in northern Alabama and Texas. |
|
1991 |
Hydrilla weevil, Bagous hydrillae, was released in Florida as a biocontrol agent of hydrilla. |
|
1992 |
Bagous sp. from China was introduced into US quarantine facilities as a potential biocontrol agent for Eurasian water-milfoil. |
|
1993 |
Phytobius sp. from China was introduced into US quarantine facilities as a potential biocontrol agent for Eurasian water-milfoil. |
Oxyops vitiosa was introduced into US quarantine facilities as a potential biocontrol agent for Melaleuca. |
First cooperative pathogen study was initiated with the International Institute on Biological Control, Silkwood Park, England. |
1994 |
Lophyrotoma zonalis was introduced into US quarantine facilities as a potential biocontrol agent for Melaleuca. |
Conducted first pathogen survey for biocontrol agents of submersed aquatic plants in Asia. |
1995 |
Boreioglycaspis melaleucae approved for introduction into US quarantine facilities as a potential biocontrol agent of Melaleuca. |
|
1996 |
Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers established the Aquatic Plant Control Operations Support Center (APCOSC) within the Jacksonville District to serve as the Corps-wide center of expertise in the operational aspects of aquatic plant management [ER 1130-2-500 (dated 27 Dec 1996)]. |
|
1997 |
Release of the melaleuca snout beetle, Oxyops vitiosa, in Everglades National Park for the control of melaleuca. |
|
1999 |
By Executive Order signed February 3, 1999, a federal Invasive Species Counsel was established to develop recommendations and guidance concerning invasive species and to facilitate the sharing of information and research. |
|