Monitoring of Ludwigia Eradication

Sonoma Water dug out sediment from the Laguna de Santa Rosa near Stony Point Road in Rohnert Park in Summer of 2019, as part of their Water Quality Credit Trading Program. This part of the Laguna has become progressively shallower over the years as nutrient-rich sediment that washed downstream had slowed down and settled out. The channel had become wide, shallow, and sunny, and these conditions allowed the invasive weed Ludwigia to thrive and it had overgrown the Laguna in this area. The digging project resulted in a narrower and deeper channel. We have identified five study sites, three in the area that will have sediment removed, one upstream of the removal site, and one downstream of the removal site. At each site, we have taken photographs and characterized the shape of the channel, water depth, and plant types present.