Airport Departments

Environmental – Invasive Plants

An invasive species is both non-native to the ecosystem in which it is found and capable of causing environmental, economic, or human harm because of its ability to spread rapidly and compete with native species.

Elodea, a submerged aquatic invasive plant, has been found in slow moving waters in Cordova, the Kenai Pennisula, Southcentral Alaska, and Interior Alaska, including Fairbanks. Elodea spreads easily from broken plant segments, making the operation of float planes and other watercraft in infested waters prime agents for spreading Elodea. Once a water body is infested, Elodea can degrade fish habitat, impede navigation, and endanger safe floatplane operations.

Preventing Elodea’s spread to uninfected waters is essential. Measures to inhibit the spread of Elodea include removing any plants from floats and watercraft, draining water from floats and raising and lowering rudders, and completely drying gear between visits to different water bodies.

In July of 2015, the Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District, General Aviation Association, and Fairbanks International Airport employees conducted an invasive plant survey of the Fairbanks Airport Float Pond. Sixteen locations along the pond’s perimeter were sampled. Surveys have continued annually from 2017-2020. Elodea has not been found at any sampling location. For more information regarding the invasive plant surveys, see the links below.

Invasive Plant Surveys

• Float Pond Invasive Plant Survey 2015
• Float Pond Invasive Plant Survey 2017 and 2018
• Float Pond Invasive Plant Survey 2019 and 2020

For more information on Elodea see the Helpful Links below.

Helpful Links

• Elodea Identification and Reporting
• Alaska DNR Elodea Brochure
• Alaska DNR Division of Agriculture Elodea Information
• Elodea and Floatplanes
• Seaplane Inspection & Decontamination Training
• Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers