Derby will once again do battle against an annoying, fast-spreading invasive plant at Witek Park, this time by lowering the water level in the reservoir and bringing in heavy machinery to rip the buggers out by the roots.
The city’s inland wetlands gave Public Works Director Ron Culmo the green light last week to do battle against pesky Phragmites, a common plant that is taking over the shore line of Witek Park, especially near the memorial dedicated to World War II hero Frank P. Witek.
Culmo pointed out the Phragmites there are now some 15 feet tall, obscuring the view of the popular fishing spot from Academy Hill Road.
The larger issue, however, is the impact the plants could have on the wetland if left unchecked.
Phragmites spread like cockroaches and can take over all other plant life in an area. Since they are tall, they block sunlight to the ground.
Culmo said the Phragmites have the potential to turn the old reservoir into a swamp.
There are two types of Phragmites — those that are native to the U.S. and those from Europe. The European version has been in the U.S. for some 150 years.
City officials said runoff from the road help Phragmites thrive.
“Phragmites thrive in silt and sediment rich environments,” said Ken Hughes, president of the Board of Alderman. “If you look where they are growing in the reservoirs, they are concentrated where the runoff from the hill and road use to enter the water, carrying all the silt and sand.”
Culmo said the plant’s root system is several feet deep, making this a more challenging, labor-intensive project.
It is not meant as a permanent fix for the Phragmite problem. His department is also coming up with a regular maintenance plan to deal with with issue.
The Inland Wetlands Commission approved Culmo’s clean up plan last week, but included several stipulations, including a report detailing where the soil containing the Phragmite root system will be discarded.
Kirk Havens, a professor at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, noted that Phragmites aren’t all bad — and protect shorelines from eroding.
However, the plants thrive in “disturbed soils,” especially man made wetland, which are often created to offset the destruction of natural wetland due to building projects.
