Invasive and Nuisance Species Management

In addition to protecting natural habitats, the District actively manages invasive and nuisance vegetation within its flood control and water supply infrastructure. Aquatic plants in canals, levees, and water control structures are controlled to maintain conveyance capacity, ensure proper operation of pumps and gates, and reduce flood risk during high-water events. Vegetation management in these systems is essential to sustaining regional water supply deliveries and protecting communities from flooding.

In Stormwater Treatment Areas, invasive and nuisance species such as primrose willow, water lettuce, water hyacinth, and crested floating heart are actively managed where they interfere with water quality improvement performance and treatment efficiency. Vegetation management in these systems is closely coordinated with water quality objectives to maintain optimal nutrient removal capacity.

Control Efforts

Invasive plant management must be continuous to keep pace with rapid plant growth, seed production, and reinfestation. The District operates one of the largest aquatic plant management programs in the nation, managing floating and submerged vegetation throughout the region. Annual treatment acreage fluctuates depending on weather, hydrology, and plant response, but management remains extensive across priority lands and waterways.

The District’s melaleuca management program is a key component of a coordinated statewide effort to control this invasive species, which is widely recognized as a national model for long-term, integrated management.

Biological control continues to be an important component of the District’s strategy. The District collaborates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and others to develop, evaluate, and implement biological control programs. Established melaleuca-feeding insects have reduced seed production and plant vigor, while the Lygodium-feeding insects provide measurable suppression of Old World climbing fern. Additional biological control agents for priority species are evaluated under strict quarantine to ensure host specificity and protection of native plants before release.

Invasive Animals

Non-native animals are widely distributed across South Florida, with the highest concentrations occurring in the Greater Everglades ecosystem. Interagency research and monitoring help identify the species posing the greatest ecological risk. Prioritizing invasive animal control remains complex due to overlapping agency authorities and the wide diversity of established species.

The District works closely with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), federal partners, cooperative invasive species management areas and research institutions to address high-priority invasive animals, including Burmese pythons, Argentine black and white tegus, and Nile monitors throughout the Greater Everglades and Lake Okeechobee regions.

Burmese pythons remain one of the most significant invasive wildlife threats. Removal efforts continue through contracted programs and public engagement initiatives coordinated by FWC and the District. Ongoing monitoring, research, and adaptive management are critical to limiting further expansion and ecological impacts.

The District continues to coordinate regionally to prevent new introductions, improve early detection and rapid response capacity, and reduce long-term ecological impacts across South Florida’s restoration landscape. For more information on invasive species in South Florida and the collective efforts to control them, see the “Status of Invasive Species” in the South Florida Environmental Report.