Texas Lake Solutions

Classifying aquatic vegetation.

Classifying aquatic vegetation can be a little difficult, but we will try to understand it from a practical, treatment based perspective. Some of these definitions will be a little different from the textbooks, but they are practical for treatment.

Lake and pond vegetation can be classified by type of root system:

• Rooted Plants. Plants with roots extending into the soil.
  

• Floating Plants. Plants which float on the surface of the water without a direct connection to the soil.
  

Anomalies.

Not all types and species fall neatly into one or the other of these categories. Even the floating plants usually have something resembling a root system, and which functions in much the same manner as a root system of a plant which is rooted in the ground, by drawing nutrients from the water rather than the soil. Often, rooted plants can be dislodged, and survive for long periods by floating in nutrient rich waters.

Algae, of the filamentous type, seems rooted, in the most rudimentary way when it begins it’s life at the bottom of the lake or pond, and only rises to the top via the air it produces. Some algae, the planktonic single cells, that are suspended in the water seems to be true floating plant, while such algae types as nitella, and muskgrass ar normally rooted and resemble true complex vascular rooted plants. Obviously , there is nothing written in stone.

Next: Submersed, Emergent, and Floating Plants

Property management and aquatics.

There are hundreds of small lakes and ponds dotting the landscape of East Texas. Many of these were ranch stock tanks, or farm ponds. As more of our agricultural land becomes real estate, property management begins to take on an aquatic side.

There is a good chance that if you own property with a lake or a pond on it, that you will need to manage it at some point. These bodies of water can easily become problem areas if too many aquatic weeds, or invasive exotic lake and pond weeds take over. Mosquitoes and other insects will follow if conditions allow.

Aquatic information resources.

Ponds and lakes, like lawns and landscapes must be cared for if the desired results are to be achieved. You can find a lot of information related to aquatic management on this website and at Aquaplant, a site brought to you by the good folks at Texas A&M, the Extension Service, and Texas Parks and Wildlife. If you find that you need help in maintaining your pond or lake, we also provide lake management services and lake and pond weed control services in the East Texas area.