BY JIMMY LAWTONNorth Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – A local effort to control the spread of invasive water chestnut along the St. Lawrence River is showing progress, but officials say the plant remains a concern and residents should continue to remain vigilant.

City Councilor Dan Skamperle raised the issue during the council meeting, reporting on a recent survey conducted along the St. Lawrence River by a team associated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The team surveyed about 20 sites between Ogdensburg and Massena and found water chestnuts at one bay.

“Any bay is too many,” Skamperle said, while noting that the amounts found during the survey were relatively small. 

He said the team found water chestnut in only a limited number of locations and encouraged residents to continue looking for the invasive plant and removing it when possible.

But Skamperle also said he has received reports and photographs showing significant amounts of water chestnut remaining in the Heuvelton area, indicating that the invasive species continues to pose a problem in other parts of the region.

Mayor Michael Tooley thanked Skamperle for bringing the information forward and recognized Brad Baldwin, who leads a local team involved in addressing the water chestnut problem.

“Brad's been very, very much a leader in this issue,” Tooley said.

Tooley said he believes Baldwin and his team have made progress in addressing water chestnut, particularly along the St. Lawrence River, while emphasizing that the problem has not been eliminated.

Skamperle noted that Baldwin urged residents to remain vigilant and continue efforts to remove water chestnut to prevent the invasive plant from spreading. 

Skamperle said he has also been hearing reports of significant amounts of water chestnut remaining in the Heuvelton.

In December of 2025, council passed a resolution stating that the fast-spreading plant has proliferated across the St. Lawrence and Oswegatchie rivers, forming thick mats that block navigation, crowd out native vegetation and create hazardous conditions for boaters and emergency responders.  The resolution urged state and federal action to limit the spread.

The city cited ecological damage as well as “measurable economic harm,” including reduced recreational boating, diminished fishing opportunities and declining marina and waterfront business activity.

The plant’s sharp seeds can also pose risks, puncturing tires or causing injury to those who step on them. Without intervention, water chestnuts could spread to nearby water bodies, including Black Lake, exacerbating the issue.