Aquatic weeds pose a special challenge for pond owners. Decisions about aquatic weeds have consequences for swimming, fishing, and environmental quality.

If you are looking at a weed problem in your pond, take a step--by-step approach to weed management:

1) Try to identify the weed or plant you are concerned about.

2) Determine your alternatives

3) Begin treatment at the most appropriate time

4) Wait for the treatment to have an effect

Two common plants that cause concern for pond owners are cattails and algae. Below are links to articles about these plants:

How to prevent and control algae in farm ponds HTML | PDF

How to control cattails in farm ponds HTML | PDF

Management of Pond Plants: Cornell Department Of Natural Resources Extension web site providing a stepwise approach to weed management.

Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants: University of Florida on-line database providing images and information about hundreds of aquatic weeds.

Recommended book for aquatic weed identification:
Through the Looking Glass... A Field Guide to Aquatic Plants, Susan Borman, Robert Korth and Jo Temte. Illustrated by Carol Watkins. , 248 pp. Univ of Wisconsin Press; ISBN: 093231032X; (June 1998)