Aquatic Weed Control
Intro |
Identifying Weeds |
Controlling Weeds |
List of Common Weeds |
Control Methods
Aquatic plants fulfill many natural functions and are vital in aquatic and wetland environments. Some aquatic plants are desirable and serve as food sources for waterfowl and other wildlife, habitat for fish, and a substrate and food source for invertebrates (such as insects and snails). Some plants may become too plentiful and interfere with fishing, swimming, and boating in private ponds and lakes. Many plant species should be controlled only when they become pests by interfering with the preferred use of a particular pond or lake. Others, particularly non-native species, must be dealt with when they first appear.
Prevention should always be your first action, if practical, since it is usually easier and cheaper to prevent an aquatic weed problem than it is to cure one. Preventive methods include proper pond location, design, construction, and drawdown. Refer Site Selection, Pond Construction, and Drawdowns for specific details on these aquatic weed prevention measures. Also, stocking five triploid grass carp per surface acre into ponds that do not have weed problems helps prevent weeds from becoming established. If you use proper preventive methods, aquatic weeds are seldom a problem.
If aquatic weeds become a problem, you can control them through physical, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, and combining methods into an integrated weed control plan is usually most effective.