That connection does not stop on land. It continues below the surface of our lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Aquatic plants play a critical role in maintaining water quality and supporting life. They produce oxygen, stabilize sediments, absorb nutrients, and provide essential habitat for fish, waterfowl, and invertebrates. In many ways, they are the foundation of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Without them, water bodies can quickly lose balance.

However, like any natural system, balance is key. Too little vegetation can lead to erosion, poor habitat, and declining water quality. Too much growth can restrict water flow, limit recreation, and contribute to issues like low oxygen levels and algae blooms as plants die and decompose. Excess nutrients from runoff, changing weather patterns, and other environmental pressures can all shift that balance in the wrong direction.

Managing aquatic plants is not about removing them entirely. It is about maintaining a healthy, functional system. Mechanical harvesting and targeted removal can control excessive growth while preserving beneficial vegetation. Aquarius Systems has worked with lake managers, municipalities, and contractors to remove overgrowth in a way that improves water flow, supports recreation, and helps maintain overall water quality.

Healthy aquatic plant communities lead to clearer water, stronger ecosystems, and better recreational opportunities. Whether you are managing a lake, river, or pond, understanding the role of aquatic plants is an important step toward long term water health.

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Glyphosate is one of the most heavily used herbicides in the world. Regulatory decisions surrounding its approval have relied on research evaluating toxicity, exposure limits, and environmental impact. When a study that helped shape public confidence is pulled back, it naturally raises broader questions. Science is meant to evolve. That’s not a flaw — it’s the process. But it does highlight the importance of independent review, long-term data, and open disclosure of funding and methodology.

The same framework applies to aquatic herbicides used in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. These products are also deemed safe when applied according to label directions, based on studies measuring water concentration levels, species sensitivity, and breakdown rates. Yet water systems are complex. Variables such as temperature, oxygen levels, sediment composition, and nutrient loading all influence outcomes in real-world conditions. Ongoing evaluation matters.

For communities managing aquatic vegetation, the discussion often comes down to balancing effectiveness, cost, and environmental impact. Mechanical harvesting, for example, physically removes vegetation from the water body — along with the nutrients contained in that plant material. Left in place, excessive vegetation eventually dies and decomposes, releasing nutrients that can contribute to algae blooms and reduced oxygen levels. Different management tools bring different trade-offs.

What the glyphosate retraction ultimately reinforces is this: sound environmental decisions depend on sound science. That science must be transparent, repeatable, and open to scrutiny. Whether addressing agricultural weeds or aquatic vegetation, long-term ecosystem health depends on continually testing assumptions and being willing to re-examine conclusions when new information emerges.

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Eurasian water milfoil grows aggressively, uprooting native vegetation, disrupting aquatic habitats, and interfering with recreation. By 2013, the Commission was spending up to $250,000 per year on herbicide treatments to control approximately 300 acres of milfoil. Grants helped fund these efforts, but by the mid-2010s, funding had dwindled to around $50,000 annually.

After a decade of chemical treatment, the Commission made a bold decision to stop using herbicides altogether. The results? Within a few years, the milfoil population began rebounding. According to the aquatic ecologist who has monitored these lakes for 18 years, the plant is “too big, it’s too much” for manual removal alone, which costs roughly $2,500 per day.

The lesson is clear: eradication with herbicides is expensive, temporary, and environmentally damaging. Even if chemicals were used without regard for ecological impacts, controlling the entire population long-term is not practical.

Instead, a management-focused approach should to taken to target plants that interfere with navigation and recreation rather than attempting total eradication. Mechanical harvesting offers a solution; it doesn’t attempt to eliminate every plant but efficiently manages growth, maintains recreational access, and avoids repeated herbicide costs.

After more than a decade of observation, the evidence is in: spending hundreds of thousands of dollars chasing eradication with chemicals is far less effective than strategic, mechanical management. It’s time for a shift in mindset: toleration and control, rather than endless eradication efforts, may be the only sustainable way forward for our lakes.

Read more about the Lower Eagle River Chain of Lakes Commission’s milfoil efforts

The piles of weed surfaced two weeks ago after strong winds disturbed the lakebed. The Bay of Plenty Regional Council began removal on 14 November, with Rotorua Lakes Council handling disposal. Ongoing weather fluctuations have worsened the smell, prompting calls for increased investment in preventative weed management to protect both the lake and Rotorua’s visitor experience.

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A Message from Our Leader: Looking Back, Planning Ahead for Our Lakes

As the Leaves Fall, Harvesting Winds Down

When Communities and Harvesters Work Hand in Hand

What’s Really Happening Beneath the Water?

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A Message from Our Leader: Turning Over a New Leaf

Are Misconceptions Making Our Lakes Sicker?

Managing Hydrilla Without Harming the Lake

Muskrats and Aquatic Habitat Balance

Upcoming Conferences

• Florida Lake Management Society 36th Annual Technical Symposium
• Washington State Lake Protection Association 38th Annual Conference
• Oregon Lake Association Conference
• North American Lake Management Society 45th International Symposium

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