SAN MARCOS, Texas -- Parts of the San Marcos River are overrun with invasive plant species.
Spectrum News talked to some local conservationists who are trying control the issue.
"Today, what we're going to do is remove some Hydrilla from the San Marcos River. And we're doing that because it's an invasive species," said conservationist Jessica Frye.
Hydrilla showed up in the river in the 1940s.
"They were introduced to the river by aqua-culture, or farming basically," said conservationist Rachel Williams.
Certified divers collect Hydrilla from the river floor. The team collected baskets full of invasive plants that are choking native species out of their natural habitat.
"The work that we're doing is to expand suitable habitat for the native plant species here, specifically the Texas Wild Rice which is one of the endangered species that is found in the river. And that will in turn provide habitat for other organisms present here, so we're working from the ground up," said Williams.
The team has come a long way. At one point, invasive species covered nearly 85 percent of the San Marcos River. Meadows Center officials say they've made great progress in reducing that 85 percent figure, but they don't know yet exactly how far they've come.
--How to help:--
If you want to volunteer, visit the group’s Facebook page.
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