
The boat launch at Lakeville Lake is closed indefinitely due to the hydrilla threat.
Debra A. Aleksinas
The boat launch at Lakeville Lake is closed indefinitely due to the hydrilla threat.
The Hydrilla Menace
This is the first of a series on invasive aquatic hydrilla and its growing threat to waterbodies and communities in Northwest Connecticut.
SALISBURY — It was only a matter of time.
Since 2016, an aggressive non-native aquatic plant, Hydrilla verticillata, also known as water thyme, has fouled coves and tributaries along the Connecticut River from Essex to the Massachusetts border, leaving unprecedented ecological, recreational and economic damage in its wake.
Now it has hitched a ride via unsuspecting boat owners to inland freshwater lakes and ponds around the state, causing concern among lake associations, town and state officials.
To date, the submerged perennial plant, fittingly named after Hydra, the nine-headed serpent from Greek mythology known for its regenerative powers, has been identified in at least 10 known lakes and ponds in the state.
That number is expected to rise as scientists from the Connecticut Aquatic Experiment Station’s Office of Aquatic Species (CAES/OAIS) scour 94 state-owed marinas in search of the worrisome weed, which they fear is spreading undetected.
Time is of the essence to locate, control and eradicate an aggressive subspecies of Hydrilla verticillata, which is unique to the Connecticut River and grows at an astonishing rate of up to a foot a day with long, slender stems that can grow underwater to lengths of up to 30 feet and spread horizontally into thick mats.
Fragments that contain as little as a single whorl of leaves are capable of drifting to other parts of a waterbody and forming new colonies. Left unchecked, perennial hydrilla, which has earned the title of “the world’s worst invasive aquatic plant” and is listed as a federal noxious weed, can completely displace native submerged plant communities, altering fish populations and water chemistry, and threatening bald eagles.
Last summer, East Twin Lake in Salisbury raised alarm when it became the first documented lake outside of the Connecticut River to become infested with a Connecticut River variant of hydrilla. Lake officials suspect it had been thriving undetected beneath the lake’s surface around the marina for several years before being noticed during a routine lake survey. [See timeline here].
Ripples of invasion
Hydrilla, native to Africa and Southeast Asia, has had a rich introduction history into the United States, with multiple subspecies being introduced since the 1960’s. It was first introduced to this country in the early 1950s near Tampa, Fla., when an aquarium plant dealer dumped bundles of the lush, green plant into a canal near his business, and by the early 1990s hydrilla occupied more than 140,000 acres of public lakes and rivers.
In 2016 a new variant of Hydrilla verticillata, subspecies lithuanica, also known as Northern hydrilla, was identified in the Connecticut River, and three years later the CAES surveyed the river from Agawam, Mass., to the Long Island Sound, reporting at least 774 acres of hydrilla.
“The particular strain that is unique to the Connecticut River appears to be much more aggressive and robust than anything we have seen before,” said Gregory Bugbee, who runs the Invasive Plant Program at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES)
And it is difficult and expensive to manage and eradicate.
“Significant costs are already associated with the impact and maintenance of the prior two subspecies established in the United States since the 1960s and 1980’s,” according to Jeremiah Foley, assistant scientist with CAES.
Why hydrilla management is important
The alarming explosion of Connecticut River hydrilla outside of the Connecticut River has raised significant concerns about its spread inland, threatening the beauty and pristine nature of many of its waterbodies.
The worrisome weed can outcompete native species, replacing habitat for sensitive species including migratory fish. Thick, horizontally-growing mats of hydrilla have crowded out boaters, anglers and those who recreate on the Connecticut River.
Marinas and municipalities have reported that they can no longer access boat slips and docks due to hydrilla infestations, limiting business opportunities. Extensive stands of hydrilla can obstruct swimmers and other water-related activities. The plant can also hurt tourism and impact the value of real estate that depends upon attractive waterways.
“The threat of hydrilla gaining a foothold in our lakes here in the Northwest Corner is an increasing concern of the highest levels.”— John Harney, Salisbury real estate agent
"The threat of hydrilla gaining a foothold in our lakes here in the Northwest Corner is an increasing concern of the highest levels,” said John Harney, a real estate broker with Willaim Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty in Salisbury.
“Twin Lakes commands the highest values for real estate, but this all changes if the lake becomes clogged with hydrilla. I would hope that this is a clarion call to bring all of our resources and attention to solving not only the hydrilla issue, but also to address the effects of overdevelopment.”
Since hydrilla’s discovery last summer in East Twin, the nearby boat launch at Lake Wononscopomuc, has been off-limits to outside boaters to keep the lake from becoming infested, and lake officials there intend to keep it closed indefinitely.
“If you lose this wonderful body of water the town would take such a hit. Property values around the lake will drop if you have a lake you can’t boat or swim in, and it’s not just popular for fishing. This is a very recreational lake for the children,” said Stacey Dodge, Town Grove Manager.
Management and control
The best way to manage hydrilla is to prevent its spread in the first place. Boaters are advised to clean, drain and dry their boats, trailers and equipment after leaving a body to keep hydrilla fragments from entering other lakes or rivers.
Once it becomes established, it is a nightmare to control and can cost as much as $1,000 per acre to manage. Many states are spending millions of dollars annually to control it. Lake Associations and towns can face a staggering rise in management costs, even with state and federal assistance.
Research on this very invasive plant is ongoing, as many biological attributes of this subspecies remain unknown, and it has no natural predators or diseases to limit its population. “Because it’s a new strain, it’s been a slow and frustrating process,” noted the Connecticut River Conservancy’s Rhea Drozdenko, River Steward for Connecticut.
Eradication by harvester is discouraged because even the smallest of fragments can spread and repopulate, and the introduction of grass carp into lakes is not a viable option, according to Foley, because while the fish will eat hydrilla, they will also devour every other aquatic plant within the lake. Biological control, he recently told members of the Twin Lakes Association during the group’s annual meeting at Camp Isola Bella on East Twin, is still in its infancy.
Aquatic herbicides have shown the most promise.
Coming next: A visit to the Connecticut River, where researchers are testing various aquatic herbicides at five sites.
LAKEVILLE — ARADEV LLC, the developer behind the proposed redesign of Wake Robin Inn, returned before Salisbury’s Planning and Zoning Commission at its May 5 regular meeting with a 644-page plan that it says scales back the project.
ARADEV withdrew its previous application last December after a six-round public hearing in which neighbors along Wells Hill Road and Sharon Road rallied against the proposal as detrimental to the neighborhood.
Landscape Architect Mark Arigoni, representing the applicants, said the new proposal’s page count is due to it being “very comprehensive and complete,” built in response to feedback from P&Z at a January pre-application meeting.
Much of P&Z’s criticism of the initial proposal revolved around its size and intensity, which commissioners said was incongruent with the neighborhood.
Arigoni briefly summarized the major changes of the new application, saying the number of cottages had been decreased from 12 to four, though each will now span about 2,000-square-feet as opposed to the maximum of 1,100 square feet of the earlier proposed array.
An “event barn,” which was one of the more contentious aspects of the initial application, has been relocated to be a part of the expanded main inn building, as opposed to its previous position as a detached structure.
Arigoni highlighted that a noise study — the lack of which was one of P&Z major criticisms of the first proposal — had been conducted in February and March, analyzing the levels of slamming car doors, traffic, waste collection vehicles and other ambient noise components of an active hotel site. He also explained that a new architectural firm had been contracted: “I think you will all see the changes to the plan, in terms of context and character.”
P&Z Chair Michael Klemens stressed that no action would be taken at the May 5 meeting. ARADEV will appear before the Commission again at its May 19 meeting, where P&Z will discuss the application’s completeness and potentially schedule a public hearing, which “will come a lot later,” Klemens said.
The application comes in the midst of ongoing litigation against the Commission relating to ARADEV’s first application. Angela and William Cruger, Wells Hill Road neighbors of the Inn who formally intervened in the 2024 hearing, filed a restraining order against the Commission in February alleging that it engaged in unlawful “spot zoning” that favored the Wake Robin expansion when it altered a regulation in May 2024 to allow for hotels via special permit in the Rural-Residential 1 zone.
Klemens announced that P&Z is opposing the restraining order. If it is approved by the judge, though, the May 2024 regulations would be declared invalid and the Commission would not be able to review applications pertaining to them, which includes ARADEV’s proposal.
FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley Regional High School girls lacrosse kept rolling Tuesday, May 6, with a decisive 18-6 win over Lakeview High School.
Eight different players scored for Housatonic in the Northwest Corner rivalry matchup. Sophomore Georgie Clayton led the team with five goals.
The Mountaineers' record advanced to 5-1 with a cumulative 41-point goal differential halfway through the season. The lone loss came at Watertown High School on April 10.
Georgie Clayton draws four Lakeview defenders. She scored five goals in the game May 6.Photo by Riley Klein
"We will be playing [Watertown] in the championship on the 28th of May," declared Coach Laura Bushey at the midway point of the 2025 season. Last year, HVRHS lost to St. Paul Catholic High School by one point in the Western Connecticut Lacrosse Conference championship.
The game against Lakeview May 7 went on despite ominous cloud cover at starting time. Rain earlier in the day made for a wet field, but the clouds parted by the second quarter for a sunny afternoon of lacrosse.
HVRHS wasted no time setting the tone. Georgie Clayton repeatedly sliced and diced her way through midfield to create offensive opportunities for the Mountaineers, who took a 7-1 lead in the first quarter.
Tessa Dekker elevates for one of her three goals against Lakeview May 6.Photo by Riley Klein
The lead grew to 11-3 by halftime. Seniors Lola Clayton and Tessa Dekker created a one-two punch on attack with Dekker setting up plays from behind the net as Clayton cut to the crease. The pair combined for five goals in the game.
Once the lead extended to double digits in the second half, the clock ran continuously. Lakeview found scoring chances but HVRHS sophomore goalie Sophia DeDominicis-Fitzpatrck saved more shots (7) than she let by.
The game ended 18-6 in favor of HVRHS.
Lola Clayton bounces a shot past the Lakeview defense.Photo by Riley Klein
The following players scored for the Mountaineers: Georgie Clayton (5), Tessa Dekker (3), Lola Clayton (2), Islay Sheil (2), Katie Crane (2), Annabelle Carden (2), Mollie Ford (1) and Chloe Hill (1).
Lakeview's goals were scored by Layla Jones (2), Isabelle Deforge (2), Juliana Bailey (1) and Caroline Donnelly (1).Goalie Sophia DeDominicis-Fitzpatrick secures the ball.Photo by Riley Klein
Participating students and teachers gathered for the traditional photo at the 2025 Troutbeck Symposium on Thursday, May 1.
Students and educators from throughout the region converged at Troutbeck in Amenia for a three-day conference to present historical research projects undertaken collaboratively by students with a common focus on original research into their chosen topics. Area independent schools and public schools participated in the conference that extended from Wednesday, April 30 to Friday, May 2.
The symposium continues the Troutbeck legacy as a decades-old gathering place for pioneers in social justice and reform. Today it is a destination luxury country inn, but Troutbeck remains conscious of its significant place in history.
A showing of student artworks within the theme of linking the past with the present opened the symposium on Wednesday evening. Each work of art had to draw on historical research to foster an informed dialogue between the artist and the contemporary audience.
The second day was devoted to student research presentations, showcasing teams from the region’s leading public and private schools with strong programs aimed at cultivating engaged young historians. Primary source materials and live interviews with descendants were included in the process.
Topics were divided into blocks with guest commentators providing reactive response as each block of student presentations concluded. Serving as commentators were Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ohio State University, and Dr. Christine Proenza-Coles, University of Virginia.
Resistance in the face of oppression and stories of resilience that spanned generations formed an important theme as students presented the stories of area settlers and residents who suffered but endured.
As a sampling, The Taconic School teamed up with The Salisbury School to unearth untold stories of Boston Corners. The Hotchkiss School looked into the activities of the Ku Klux Klan in Connecticut. The Cornwall Consolidated School students stepped up with their untold stories of early Cornwall women.
Other presentations explored criminal justice — witchcraft trials — dealing with society’s “undesirable” elements, individuals in history who took action, people and movements that formed resistance, and various forms of discrimination.
Praising the work of the students, Dr. Jeffries identified a theme of resistance and survival.
“The war ended but the resistance did not,” Jeffries said. “We don’t take indigenous people seriously,” he added. “White supremacy happened in our own back yards.”
“We saw the evolution of research,” said a Cornwall Consolidated School representative. That project moved into civic engagement by the students that moved beyond the classroom.
“This is not the past; this is part of the present,” said Dr. Proenza-Coles.
A panel discussion among educators whose students had participated in the 2025 Troutbeck Symposium was held on Friday, May 2, to offer reflections on the symposium, its value and future development. Panelists from left to right were Jessica Jenkins, Litchfield Historical Society;Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason, Brown University; Morgan Bengal, Old New-Gate Prison; Frank Mitchell, Connecticut Humanities; and student representatives Dominik Valcin of Salisbury School, and Shanaya Duprey of Housatonic Valley Regional High School. Leila Hawken
The third day invited area history educators to assemble and share ideas for redesigning elements of history education, a day of reflection.
The panel included Jessica Jenkins, Litchfield Historical Society; Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason, Brown University; Morgan Bengal, Old New-Gate Prison; Frank Mitchell, Connecticut Humanities; and student representatives Dominik Valcin of Salisbury School, and Shanaya Duprey of Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
Valcin reflected on his work as a shared project within The Salisbury School, one where the inquiry would seek to find “the deeper story behind a base story.”
Duprey also spoke of process and the educational value of engaging with historical inquiry.
Each representing a profession that brings them into contact with historical inquiry, the panelists recounted tedious history classes of past decades. Jenkins described her own career as “public history.”Lamb-Canon’s experience began with choosing history electives in college. Bengal spoke of community engagement and the power of involvement with history.
“History is not the opposite of scientific inquiry,” said Bengal.
Significant discussion centered on the possibility of offering the Troutbeck Symposium model to a wider audience of school systems throughout the U.S.
“A community approach to education,” was a characterization offered by Troutbeck owner Charlie Champalimaud, commenting during a brief interview at the end of the symposium on Friday, May 2. She encouraged a push toward increasing even more the number of participating schools, their educational communities and symposium sponsors.
Terence S. Miller, owner of Roaring Oaks Florist in the new self-serve area of the shop.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, Roaring Oaks Florist in Lakeville has launched a new self-serve flower station next to its Main Street shop, offering high-quality, grab-and-go bouquets from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week — including Sundays when the main store is closed.
Owner Terence S. Miller, who bought the shop 24 years ago at just 20 years old, calls the new feature “a modern twist on an old-school honor system,” with some high-tech updates.
“We’re still using our same high-end flowers, just with less markup and no labor,” said Miller. “That way people can access our quality anytime, even if we’re closed.”
Tucked beside the shop’s main entrance at 349A Main Street next to The Boathouse, the self-serve area is partitioned and monitored by security cameras. A simple touchscreen checkout system lets customers pay with a credit card — no cash accepted — and includes photo prompts to make selection easy. Vases, ribbons, flower food, and care instructions are all stocked and labeled.
“We’ve tried to think of everything people might need,” said Miller. “It’s all about making great flowers more accessible without losing what makes Roaring Oaks special.”
Miller said the idea came from years of watching customers try to squeeze in a visit before or after hours. “We’re open 8 hours a day, but we’re here for almost 10, and it still isn’t enough. People are always showing up after we close,” he said. “This way we can be ‘open’ more hours without adding staff.”
Though he considered making the space available 24/7, Miller ultimately decided against it. “We didn’t want to encourage late-night tampering,” he said, noting the shop’s proximity to local bars and restaurants.
Miller’s journey into flowers was unexpected. As soon as he could get his farming papers at 12 years old, he started working at Silamar Farm in Millerton. Alongside its produce, Silamar’s was one of the first farm stands in the area to sell fresh cut flowers.Miller began growing and bundling cut flowers for city-bound customers. “By 16 I needed a year-round job, so I applied to every florist around. I just had a knack for it,” he said. After a stint in Rhinebeck, he returned and bought Roaring Oaks from its previous owner.
In the decades since, he’s built a reputation for quality and creativity. The shop’s flowers are sourced from around the world, particularly Canada and South America, though Miller is committed to supporting local growers wherever possible, especially for summer offerings and weddings.
“We’re hoping to feature some smaller farms in the self-serve section this summer,” said Miller. “DIY weddings have taken off, and people don’t always realize the benefits of buying local. Cold chain is everything. The flowers we source come straight from the airport to the wholesaler and right up here. That’s how we keep them fresh.”
Roaring Oaks also offers consultations and bulk flower discounts for events and weddings, a service Miller hopes more customers will discover through the new self-serve setup.
After 50 years in business, and nearly a decade at its current Lakeville location, Roaring Oaks continues to evolve. “This September marks my 25th year,” said Miller. “I’m always looking for ways to make people happy. Flowers should be simple, joyful, and accessible. That’s what this is all about.”
For more information or to plan your Mother’s Day bouquet, visit Roaring Oaks Florist at 349A Main Street, Lakeville.