It's a problem that has plagued Oswego County for over 15 years.
Water chestnuts, and lots of them, are clogging parts of the Oswego River.
But things could be getting even worse this summer.
The Oswego County legislature voted down a proposal to use county money to control the water chestnut population.
In past years, the county received state funding to spread herbicides along parts of the river.
The plan would have used county money now, which the state would reimburse once the budget is passed.
Now, there's no funding.
Oswego County legislator Morris Sorbello voted for the county funding the herbicides, but says the proposal was voted down because the legislature wasn't confident the state would reimburse them.
"We know what's happened in Albany and our federal government has had problems too," Sorbello says. "So we're in the middle but we needed to do it now. That's the whole issue."
Water chestnuts disrupt boating, canoeing and many other water activities.
Betty Patrick lives along Oswego River in Minetto. She experienced firsthand just how problematic water chestnuts can be. She says,
"They caused a problem with all the boats that are down the rivers. In fact, we had to sell ours because we couldn't get it out of the boathouse."
Many residents say they didn't get help from the county even in past years when the state funded controlling the water chestnut population.
They just want some help to regain the waterfront they once enjoyed.
Eric Lewis lives along the river in Minetto. He says,
"It would be very helpful if someone would take a hold of this situation and do something about it. It's destroyed our entire use of the waterfront, other than just looking at it."
This is the time of year when the county has started spreading herbicides in the past. Now it's up to the residents to control the population themselves.
