More native plants may flourish in the water flowing through Gainesville's Duck Pond neighborhood in the next year.
Gainesville's Operations Division began a program this week to remove the water's hydrilla, an exotic, invasive plant that prevents native species from thriving.
"We don't want an exotic," said Robin Hallbourg, a geologist for the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department.
"What you want is a nice composition of different types of native species."
The hydrilla grow in the Sweetwater Branch creek, which starts at Duck Pond and is filled with nitrogen and phosphorus, allowing the plants to absorb the nutrients and flourish, she said.
Because the hydrilla work to deplete the water's nutrients, the water may turn green once they're removed, signifying algal growth, Hallbourg said.
After the preliminary green growth, she hopes native plants will take over the "cleaning" of the water.
She said the color may remain green.
Stewart Pearson, head of storm water management for the City of Gainesville, said the project would cost the city between $3,000 and $4,000, not including labor costs.
Pearson said the program is worth the cost.
In the long run, native plants could do a better job of removing the nitrogen and other nutrients that enter the Sweetwater Branch and flow out to Paynes Prairie.
"We hope this turns out to be a beneficial effort," he said.
