Southern Regional

Aquaculture Center
PR

SRAC Publication No. 360

April 2014
Revision

VI

Aquatic Weed Management:

Control Methods
Lyn A. Gettys1

Water is a valuable resource that we rely on for

drinking, irrigation, recreation, and aquaculture. Mixed
populations of native aquatic plants are a necessary part
of natural aquatic environments. They provide structure,
habitat, and food for fish, waterfowl, and other wildlife.
Plants also remove phosphorus, nitrogen, and other elements from the water column. The southeastern United
States has a mild climate that provides an ideal habitat
for many organisms, including aquatic plants. Because
our waters are typically warm and nutrient-rich, aquatic
plants flourish and grow quickly, which can result in
excessive growth. For example, a single plant of water
hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) (Fig. 1) can grow to cover
an entire surface acre of water if conditions are optimal.
Pond management can be difficult if plant growth is
excessive because plants may limit fish access to feed,
cause problems with seining, and introduce or harbor
snails, parasites, and other aquatic fauna. Non-native
aquatic plants can be introduced to aquatic systems
in a number of ways, including transport by animals,
water currents, or wind. But most problematic plants are
introducedintentionally or accidentallyas a result of
human activities.
Many aquatic weed problems in the U.S. are the result
of intentional introduction. For example, the floating
weed water hyacinth was reportedly introduced in the
U.S. at the Southern States Cotton Expo in New Orleans
in the 1880s, where visitors were given water hyacinth
plants as souvenirs. Local legend states that a Florida
resident brought plants back to his water garden near the
University of Florida IFAS

Figure 1. Water hyacinth was introduced to the U.S. in the 1880s and is one
of the worlds worst weeds.
St. Johns River and tossed his extra plants into the river
as his water garden became overgrown. It took less than a
decade for the St. Johns to become so clogged with water
hyacinth that navigation was impossible. This floating
weed causes other problems as well. Dense populations
reduce the penetration of light and oxygen through the
water column, and mosquitoes find breeding grounds
in the stagnant water held by the crown or rosette of
the plant. Water hyacinth is arguably the nations worst
floating weed, and managers throughout the southeastern
U.S. continue to battle this noxious species.
The submersed weed hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)
(Fig. 2), which has been called the worlds worst weed,
was also introduced intentionally as an aquarium plant in
the 1950s. Historical accounts suggest that some aquar-

Figure 2. Hydrilla was introduced to the U.S. via the aquarium industry and
is one of the worlds worst weeds.
ium plant dealers cultivated hydrilla in canals and waters
near their nurseries to have easy access to plant material for
their customers. Hydrilla is constantly being re-introduced
as contaminated boat trailers are moved from one body of
water to another and as hobbyists dispose of extra aquarium plants by dumping them in the nearest body of water.
Hydrilla can produce roots and new plants from extremely
small fragments, so other vectors for introduction include
birds and other wildlife and recreational equipment such
as boats, jetskis, and trailers. This noxious weed causes a
number of problems in aquatic ecosystems; it crowds out
native plants to form monocultures, which are poor habitat
for aquatic wildlife and fish. Dense plant growth also traps
heat, which increases the temperature of surface water and
depletes dissolved oxygen, resulting in conditions that can
harm fish. Hydrilla also obstructs water flow, which can
clog irrigation systems and cause flooding during tropical storms, hurricanes, and other severe weather. Hydrilla
hinders the recreational uses of water as well. Outboard
boat motors quickly become clogged and strangled with
weeds; fishing lines are snagged within moments of being
cast; and swimmers have reportedly drowned after becoming entangled in hydrilla.
Water hyacinth and hydrilla quickly become invasive
almost everywhere they are introduced, but they are not
the only aquatic plants that cause problems in natural
systems, reservoirs, aquaculture ponds, and canals in
the southeastern U.S. Crested floatingheart (Nymphoides
cristata) (Fig. 3), which was introduced as an ornamental
water garden plant, is invading lakes and reservoirs in the
region. Populations of giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta)
(Fig. 4), which was also introduced through the aquarium
and water garden industries, now forms dense floating
mats with consequences similar to those described for
water hyacinth. Crested floatingheart and giant salvinia
likely escaped cultivation rather than being introduced
2

Figure 3. Floating-leaved emergent plants. Upper left: crested floatingheart (invasive). Lower left: fragrant white waterlily (native). Upper right:
spatterdock (native). Lower right: American lotus (native).

Figure 4. Floating plants. Left: giant salvinia (invasive). Upper right: duckweed (native). Lower right: frogs-bit (native).
intentionally to aquatic systems. The accidental introduction of invasive plants happens quite often. In addition to
escaping cultivation, weeds can hitchhike as contaminants when desirable native plants are transported and
sold. Misidentification is rampant, particularly among
hobbyists. Before planting native aquatic species, it is
critically important to inspect plant material to verify the
identity of the plants being received and to avoid planting
exotic hitchhikers.
Because invasive aquatic weeds can have such harmful effects, it is imperative that they be controlled.

Weed identification
Aquatic plants can be grouped into two major classes:
algae and macrophytes.

Algae
Algae are the base of the food chain and the primary
food source for small aquatic organisms. It is estimated
that algae also provide as much as half of the planets oxygen through the process of photosynthesis, or the conversion of sunlight and carbon dioxide to energy and oxygen.
There are many forms and species of algae, ranging from

microscopic planktonic algae to filamentous algae to

branched or stonewort algae (Chara and Nitella) that
look like macrophytes. Planktonic algae, also called phytoplankton, are single-celled organisms or groups of microscopic organisms that are suspended in the water column
and give water a pea-green color. Some species of planktonic algae may also cause an off flavor in fish or drinking water. Filamentous algae form long strings that clump
together to form mats, which often develop on the bottom
of a pond and float to the water surface when the population becomes dense. Branched algae are most commonly
called macrophytic, stonewort, or Chara-Nitella algae
because these are the genera that make up this group; they
are anchored in the sediment and appear to be branched,
but they lack roots and true branches (Fig. 5).

Aquatic macrophytes
Aquatic macrophytes can be divided into four main
groups based on their growth habitsfloating, shoreline
emergent, floating-leaved emergent, and submersed. Floating plants (Fig. 4) have roots that dangle in the water column, with most or all of the plants growth floating on the
surface of the water. Floating plants come in many shapes
and sizes, ranging from tiny native duckweeds (Lemna
sp.) and larger invasive giant salvinia to the medium-sized
native frogs-bit (Limnobium spongia) and the much larger
and invasive water hyacinth.
Emergent plants are rooted in the sediment, but
some or most of the plants growth is above the waterline. Shoreline or littoral zone emergent plants are usually found in the transitional zone between deeper water
(more than 3 feet [1 m] deep) and the moist shoreline.
Emergent shoreline plants help to stabilize the shoreline
and prevent erosion while providing food, cover, and
nesting grounds for animals that live near water. Native
emergent shoreline species include pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), duck potato (Sagittaria latifolia), and rushes
(Eleocharis, Scirpus, and Schoenoplectus sp.) (Fig. 6). Emer-

Figure 5. Algae. Upper: planktonic algae. Center: filamentous algae. Lower:

Macrophytic algae.

Figure 6. Native shoreline emergent plants. Left: pickerelweed. Center:

duck potato. Right: Gulf Coast spikerush.

Native floating-leaved emergent plants include fragrant

white waterlily (Nymphaea odorata), spatterdock (Nuphar
lutea), and American lotus (Nelumbo lutea), while floatingleaved emergent invaders include crested floatingheart and
snowflakelily (Nymphoides indica) (Fig. 3).
Submersed plants are usually rooted in the sediment
and all or most of the plants growth occurs below the
surface of the water. Submersed plants provide structure
to the underwater habitat and also serve as a food source
and spawning grounds for fish and other aquatic organisms. Native submersed species include eelgrass (Vallisneria americana), southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis),
and Illinois pondweed (Potamogeton illinoensis) (Fig.
8), while submersed invaders include hydrilla, Eurasian
watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), and curlyleaf
pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) (Fig. 9).

Professional help with identification

In order to select the most effective weed control
method, the invader must first be positively identified.
The most common way to do this is to send high-resolu-

Figure 7. Invasive shoreline emergent plants. Upper: flowering rush. Center:

primrosewillow. Lower: wild taro.
gent shoreline invaders include flowering rush (Butomus
umbellatus), primrose-willow (Ludwigia peruviana), and
wild taro (Colocasia esculenta) (Fig. 7).
Like emergent shoreline plants, floating-leaved emergent plants are rooted in the sediment and some of the
plants leaves and flowers float on the surface of the water.
However, floating-leaved emergent plants are often found
in deeper water (more than 3 feet [1 m] deep), and most
of the plants growth remains below the waterline. The
petioles or leaf stalks of floating-leaved emergent plants
provide structure to the underwater environment and the
floating leaves create a shady spot for fish to rest and hide.
4

Figure 8. Native submersed plants. Upper: eelgrass. Center: southern naiad.

Lower: Illinois pondweed.

Figure 10. Vegetative plant parts. Clockwise from left: cut stem showing
interior structure; runners and roots; tubers; leaf attachment and
arrangement; rhizome.
region where the leaf attaches to the stemcommon
in grasses) if present.
Stems (intact and cut to show whether the interior
is solid or hollow). Also, make a note of anything
unusual that may not show up well in photographs,
including color, hairs, thorns, texture, glossiness,
waxiness, smell, etc.
Roots, rhizomes, runners, tubers or corms (wash
off debris and sediment before photographing).

Reproductive structures (Fig. 11)

Flowers, showing the entire flower, the interior of the

Figure 9. Invasive submersed plants. Upper: Eurasian watermilfoil. Lower:

curlyleaf pondweed.
tion digital photographs of the plant to your aquaculture
or fisheries specialist or other trained individual (do
not send live or pressed specimens unless the identifier
requests them). Be sure to provide good, clear, in-focus
images that will be useful for identification. Your photo
collection should include a shot of the habitat where the
plant occurs (from a distance to show scale and close up
to show detail) and a portrait of the entire plant, both submersed and emergent plant parts. More detailed images
are useful as well. Use a solid background (white, black,
or gray) as a backdrop for detailed images. Place a ruler,
pencil, or other object of known size in the frame to show
size or scale. Detailed images should include:

Vegetative growth (Fig. 10)

Leaves showing veins, arrangement/attachment to

the stem, petiole (leaf stalk) attachment to the leaf

and the stem, stipules (small appendages where the
petiole attaches to the stem), and ligules (clasping

flower, the peduncle (flower stalk), and the arrangement of flowers in a compound inflorescence.
Fruits and seeds.
If possible, collect and press a specimen for reference.
If the species has not been found in your area before, your
local herbarium may ask you to submit a dried sample so
they can voucher the plant and have a record of its presence.

Figure 11. Reproductive structures. Clockwise from upper left: flower and
unripe seed pod; inflorescence; ripe seeds; capsule with seeds; flower size
and position.

Weed control methods in aquatic systems

Exclusion
The most effective way to avoid invasion by exotic
plants is through exclusion, or preventing them from
entering uninfested aquatic systems. Make sure you plant
only native plants that are free of exotic hitchhikers.
Ensure that nobody dumps aquariums or water garden
plants in your pond. Accidental transfer of aquatic weeds
can be avoided if you thoroughly inspect and clean boats,
trailers, seines, nets, and other equipment before using
them in your pond. Prevent fertilizer runoff from entering your pond to reduce the nutrients that encourage the
excessive growth of aquatic plants.
If your pond has been invaded and your weed has
been positively identified, there are a number of techniques you can use to control it.

riers and drawdowns have drawbacks and limitations.

Neither method is selective, so desirable native plants will
be killed along with the weeds. Also, neither method can
be used in fish production ponds unless the fish can be
removed to another pond first.

Manual or mechanical removal

Manual removal or mechanical control can be an
option, particularly if the invasion is small and localized.
Target weeds can be pulled by hand or with a rake if the
water is shallow enough. The success of this method will
depend on whether it is possible to remove entire plants.
Many aquatic invaders will regrow from root crowns,
tubers, rhizomes, or plant fragments, so all plant material
must be completely removed for this method to be successful.

Cultural and physical control

Cultural and physical control methods (Fig. 12)
can sometimes be used if they are appropriate for your
situation. For example, some populations of algae can
be reduced by aerating the pond (introducing oxygen to
the bottom of the water column), adding alum to inactivate phosphorus in the water column, or using dyes or
pond covers to reduce light penetration. However, these
methods are most effective before serious algae blooms
occur and have limited use once algae has taken over a
pond. Submersed weeds can be managed by installing
benthic barriers, which smother the weeds; these can be
made from durable materials such as vinyl or plastic or
from biodegradable materials such as burlap. Submersed
weeds also can be controlled by lowering the water level
(drawdown) and allowing the bottom sediments to dry
out for several months. Although useful, benthic bar-

Figure 12. Cultural control methods. Upper left: aerator. Lower left:
drawdown. Right: benthic barrier being deployed.
6

Figure 13. Mechanical harvester gathering hydrilla.

If the water is deep and the infestation is large, specialized equipment such as mechanical harvesters (Fig.
13) can be used to remove as much plant material as possible. However, harvesters remove only the plant growth
they can reach; shallow-water and deep-water harvesters capture plant material in the upper 5 and 10 feet (1.5
and 3 m), respectively, of the water column. Mechanical
harvesting typically produces many fragments from
which the invasive species can easily root, so this technique may actually spread the weed if the fragments are
not collected. Mechanical harvesting is also non-selective,
so desirable plants, fish, and other aquatic organisms that
share the habitat with the invader will be harvested too.
Another factor to consider is the disposal of the harvested plant material. Ideally, it could simply be deposited
on a high-and-dry area near the pond where it can be
left to dry and then composted. However, if the freshly
harvested material must be transported to a landfill it

could be quite expensive. As much as 95 percent of the

fresh weight of aquatic weeds is water (for example, a single acre of hydrilla can weigh as much as 24,000 pounds
[10,900 kg], but only 1,200 pounds [545 kg] of that weight
is plant material and the remaining 22,800 pounds
[10,365 kg] is water). This could make hauling costs and
disposal site tipping fees prohibitive.
Another mechanical method is dredging, or removing the upper layer of bottom sediment from the pond,
which may require permits from local, state, or federal
agencies. This can be done on a small scale (for example,
using divers with suction rigs to spot-dredge new infestations) or on a larger scale, with specialized equipment that
can manage large areas in a relatively short time. Dredging reduces the amount of seeds, rhizomes, tubers, and
other plant material in the sediment, which can lessen the
likelihood of weed regrowth after dredging is complete.
However, dredging is non-selective and can cause longterm turbidity, since sediments can remain suspended in
the water column for a long time. Dredging also increases
overall water depth, which may not be desirable.

Biological control
Biological control is the use of living organisms to
reduce weed populations. This technique, also referred
to as biocontrol, is based on the concept that most species become invasive after introduction to a new region
because the predators that keep them in check in their
native range arent present in their new habitat. Finding
and testing potential biocontrol agents is time-consuming
and expensive. Researchers travel to the invaders native
region and collect insects, pathogens, or other organisms
that are found in association with the target weed species. These biological agents are brought back to the U.S.
and maintained under quarantine conditions while they
are tested to determine whether they fit the criteria and
requirements of successful biocontrol agents. Biocontrol
agents must be host-specific and cause damage only to the
target weed species while leaving other plants unharmed;
in addition, they must be able to survive, grow, and reproduce in the new range of the weed.
There are several biocontrol organisms that can be
useful for aquatic weed control. For example, the alligatorweed flea beetle (Agasicles hygrophila) can reduce populations of noxious alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) to the point that other weed control strategies can be
reduced or even eliminated, as long as winter temperatures
are mild enough to allow the beetles to survive through
the winter. The salvinia weevil (Cyrtobagous salviniae)
causes significant damage to the weedy floating fern giant
salvinia, and two water hyacinth weevilsNeochetina

eichhorniae and N. bruchiare used to slow the growth of

water hyacinth.
In contrast to true biocontrol agents, generalist
organisms consume aquatic plants less discriminately. For
example, the Asian or Chinese grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) is well-known as a voracious consumer of
hydrilla, one of the worlds worst aquatic weeds. But grass
carp are not host-specific and will consume and eliminate
virtually all submersed vegetation in a pond. The success
of grass carp in controlling hydrilla depends on stocking density; with too few carp the hydrilla infestation
will grow virtually unchecked, while too many fish may
result in the loss of all pond vegetation. Because the grass
carp is a non-native introduced species, special precautions must be taken to reduce the likelihood of these
biocontrol agents becoming invasive themselves. In most
states, a permit must be issued by state resource managers
before grass carp can be introduced to an aquatic system
(although some states prohibit the use of grass carp altogether), so check with your state agency before considering this option. In most cases, permit holders must take
measures to prevent the fish from escaping into other
waters, and all grass carp must be sterile triploids that are
unable to reproduce. For more information about grass
carp, see SRAC Publication No. 3600, Using Grass Carp in
Aquaculture and Private Impoundments.
Biocontrol agents such as alligatorweed flea beetles,
salvinia weevils, and water hyacinth weevils, along with
generalist herbivores such as grass carp, can be useful for
aquatic weed control but will not eradicate invasive weeds
completely. When more complete and targeted control
of aquatic weeds is desired, resource managers rely on
chemical control, or the use of herbicides.

Chemical control
Herbicide applications to ponds share some of the
challenges associated with treating croplands, including drift and damage to desirable non-target plants.
But aquatic herbicide applications are more challenging
because of factors unique to aquatic systems. For example,
herbicides for controlling weeds in crops usually reach
the target weed at the concentration in which they are
applied. In contrast, products used to control submersed
aquatic weeds must travel through the water column to
reach their target and are substantially diluted before they
reach the weed. In addition, currents move the herbicide
out of the treated area, which reduces the amount of
time the product actually contacts the target weed and
can make the treatment less effective. Another factor
that complicates the use of aquatic herbicides is pond
stratification (Fig. 14), especially in temperate regions.

Figure 14. Pond stratification.

Most ponds deeper than 10 feet (3 m) have three distinct
zones or layers, with little mixing among the layers. The
upper and lower portions of a pond are the epilimnion
and hypolimnion, respectively. Water in the epilimnion is
exposed to ambient air temperatures, so it is usually very
warm in the summer and cold or frozen in the winter.
Water in the hypolimnion maintains a more or less constant temperature all year. The epilimnion and hypolimnion are separated by the thermocline, a layer where
drastic temperature changes occur. Stratification may not
affect the management of emergent or floating aquatic
weeds, but can have a substantial effect on the treatment
of submersed plants because herbicides applied to the
epilimnion are unlikely to penetrate through the thermocline to reach target weeds growing in the hypolimnion.
There is no one size fits all chemical control method;
besides the challenges listed above, a number of factors
must be considered when choosing a herbicide. First and
foremost, the product must be labeled for use in your
aquatic system in your state. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates herbicide labeling on a national
scale, but each state has the authority to enact more restrictive regulations or to prohibit the use of a product altogether. The label is the law; failure to comply with any and
all of the conditions outlined on a herbicide label is a violation of federal law, and people have been heavily fined and
sent to federal prison for the improper use of pesticides.
Once you have determined what herbicides are
labeled for your system in your state, you should carefully
read the labels or consult with your Extension office to
determine which products are best suited to your situation. Important factors to consider include:
Efficacy: Will the product control your target
weed?
Selectivity: If there are desirable native plants in
your pond, how will the herbicide affect them?
Non-target effects: Will the herbicide harm fish or
other aquatic animals in your pond?
Water usage: What are the water use restrictions
after treatment? How long after the treatment do
you have to wait before you can irrigate crops,
8

water livestock, swim, fish, or drink the treated

water?
Restrictions and setbacks: How far away must the
herbicide remain from intakes, outflows, or connections to other waters? Are there other specifications
outlined on the label, such as minimum droplet size
or maximum wind speed during application?
Other considerations: What personal protective
equipment is required, and do you have the equipment needed to apply the product? Does your state
require you to be a licensed pesticide applicator to
purchase and use the product? If you have a small
pond, can you purchase just what you need or do
you have to buy a large container? Is it affordable?
Clearly, using aquatic herbicides can be a challenging
prospect, and many people opt to hire it out rather than
trying to do it themselves. Many private companies offer
aquatic weed control services, which can be an affordable
alternative, particularly if you have a small pond, need
very little herbicide, and dont already own the proper
equipment described on the label. However, aquatic weed
control is certainly something you can manage on your
property if you so choose, provided you properly identify
the weed, select a product that fits your needs and situation, and follow the label instructions. For more information about aquatic herbicides, see SRAC Publication No.
361, Aquatic Weed Management: Herbicides, and SRAC
Publication 3601, Aquatic Weed Management: Herbicide
Safety, Technology, and Application Techniques.

A note about fish kills

When you use herbicides to control aquatic weeds in
your pond, special precautions must be taken to ensure
that fish and other aquatic organisms are not harmed as a
result. Only a few aquatic herbicides are directly dangerous to fish, but fish kills are always a major concern when
treating ponds. The main reason fish kills occur after
aquatic herbicide application is a reduction in dissolved
oxygen (DO).
Living plants add DO to the water through photosynthesis; when plants are killed by herbicides, the
DO in the water is reduced.
Plants killed by herbicides decompose and are
broken down by oxygen-using organisms, which
further depletes DO.
To reduce the possibility of a fish kill, treat only a
portion (no more than one-third) of the pond at one time.
This allows fish to escape from treated areas and also
prevents the extreme drop in DO that comes with killing
all of the plants in an aquatic system.

Conclusions

Additional resources

Native aquatic plants are an important part of the

ecosystem, but invasive aquatic weeds degrade the pond
habitat and limit the use of affected waters. Most aquatic
weeds have been intentionally introduced, so exclusion
or prevention is the first line of defense against them.
Once a pond has been invaded, a number of strategies
can be used to manage aquatic weeds, including cultural,
mechanical, biological, and chemical control. Pond owners should first identify the invasive species, then select a
product labeled for that weed and for the particular situation, making sure to apply the product according to label
instructions to avoid damage to native plants and fish.

Biology and Control of Aquatic Plants: a best management practices handbook. Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation. Online at http://aquatics.org/
aerf_handbook.pdf.
Plant Management in Florida Waters: an integrated
approach. University of Florida Center for Aquatic
and Invasive Plants. Online at http://plants.ifas.ufl.
edu/manage/.
Southern Region Aquaculture Center publications.
Online at https://srac.tamu.edu/.

SRAC fact sheets are reviewed annually by the Publications, Videos and Computer Software Steering Committee. Fact sheets are revised
as new knowledge becomes available. Fact sheets that have not been revised are considered to reflect the current state of knowledge.

The work reported in this publication was supported in part by the Southern Regional
Aquaculture Center through Grant No. 2010-38500-21142 from the United States
Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.