Gallery: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers helps battle invasive plants in Alabama

Sometimes when you’re being overrun, you need to call the Army for backup.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel across multiple districts recently helped battle invasive aquatic plant species in waterways near Tuscaloosa and Birmingham.

A special herbicide that halts the spread of giant salvinia and water hyacinth was used at Bankhead Lake and other lake systems for the Black Warrior and Tombigbee rivers. The herbicide is safe to use around native fish, birds and the habitat.

The treatment and assessment help control the spread of the invasive aquatic plants while allowing the local habitat to continue and navigation of the waterways to continue unimpeded.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Terry Diggers, left, and Park Ranger Brett Barton travel by airboat while conducting an aquatic vegetation assessment in Tuscaloosa. The survey supports invasive species control efforts on the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Lakes system, focusing on giant salvinia and water hyacinth. (Travis England / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers technician examines a sample of alligatorweed during a site assessment in Tuscaloosa. The survey supports USACE’s invasive species management efforts across the Black Warrior and Tombigbee lakes system. (Travis England / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Browning vegetation along the shoreline of Bankhead Lake signals effective treatment of invasive aquatic plants near Birmingham. The herbicide used by USACE targets invasive species while protecting native fish, birds and habitat. (Travis England / U.S. Army)

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crew sprays a targeted herbicide to treat invasive aquatic plants at Bankhead Lake, near Birmingham. The ongoing effort supports native species restoration and improved water access across the Black Warrior River system. (Travis England / U.S. Army)

A dense mat of invasive water hyacinth and giant salvinia covers a section of the Black Warrior and Tombigbee lakes system in Tuscaloosa. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working to manage these species as part of an aquatic vegetation treatment effort. (Travis England / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Technician Terry Diggers gestures toward vegetation growth while conducting a site assessment in Tuscaloosa. The assessment is part of an invasive species management effort on the Black Warrior and Tombigbee lakes system targeting giant salvinia and water hyacinth. (Travis England / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

A close-up view of giant salvinia, one of the invasive aquatic plant species being targeted for treatment, is seen among native vegetation at Bankhead Lake, near Birmingham. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting herbicide treatments to remove invasive plants and improve fish habitat and water access. (Travis England / U.S. Army)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Ranger Brett Barton and Technician Terry Diggers travel by airboat during a site assessment on the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa. The team is supporting an invasive species management effort targeting giant salvinia and water hyacinth throughout the Black Warrior and Tombigbee lakes system. (Travis England / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Aquatic plant species are observed along the waterline during a site assessment in Tuscaloosa. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting field surveys to support ongoing invasive species management efforts on the Black Warrior and Tombigbee lakes system. (Travis England / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Terry Driggers, small craft operator team lead with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District, discusses the day’s treatment area while supporting invasive species mitigation at Bankhead Lake, near Birmingham. USACE personnel from across districts are collaborating to control aquatic invasives and restore native habitat. (Travis England / U.S. Army)

A USACE crew sprays herbicide along the shoreline of Bankhead Lake, near Birmingham. The effort targets invasive aquatic plants such as water hyacinth and giant salvinia to protect native ecosystems. (Travis England / U.S. Army)

A view of Bankhead Lake, part of the Black Warrior River system, is seen near Birmingham. USACE is conducting targeted herbicide applications in this area to manage invasive aquatic species and maintain recreational access. (Travis England / U.S. Army)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Technician Nicholas Smith conducts aquatic vegetation monitoring from an airboat in Tuscaloosa. Smith is part of the team supporting invasive species control efforts targeting giant salvinia and water hyacinth in the Black Warrior and Tombigbee lakes system. (Travis England / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crew sprays a targeted herbicide to treat invasive aquatic plants at Bankhead Lake, near Birmingham. The ongoing effort supports native species restoration and improved water access across the Black Warrior River system. (Travis England / U.S. Army)

A water hyacinth blooms along the Black Warrior and Tombigbee lakes system in Tuscaloosa. The invasive species is one of two targeted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of an aquatic vegetation management effort. (Travis England / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Browning vegetation along the shoreline of Bankhead Lake signals effective treatment of invasive aquatic plants near Birmingham. The herbicide used by USACE targets invasive species while protecting native fish, birds and habitat. (Travis England / U.S. Army)

A dense patch of giant salvinia is shown on the water surface at Bankhead Lake, near Birmingham. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is targeting areas like this with selective herbicide treatments to slow the spread of aquatic invasive species. (Travis England / U.S. Army)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Technician Terry Diggers. left, and Park Ranger Brett Barton conduct a field check during aquatic vegetation monitoring in Tuscaloosa. The effort supports USACE’s management of invasive species like giant salvinia and water hyacinth in the Black Warrior and Tombigbee lakes system. (Travis England / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crew sprays a targeted herbicide to treat invasive aquatic plants at Bankhead Lake, near Birmingham. The ongoing effort supports native species restoration and improved water access across the Black Warrior River system. (Travis England / U.S. Army)