New Report:

Clear As A Lake: A Resource Guide to Invasive Aquatic Plants and Non-Toxic Treatment Alternatives

Lakes and ponds are complex systems that provide a home for many species of plants and animals. They also provide humans with a place to relax, play, and enjoy nature. When invasive plants are introduced to lakes and ponds, they can drastically change the characteristics of these complex aquatic systems. Invasive aquatic plants are a serious problem and can take over an entire lake and make it unusable, not only by other plants and animals, but also by humans.

Control of invasive aquatic plants is most common via waterborne pesticides or herbicides. In Massachusetts alone approximately 230 water bodies are commercially treated with herbicides each year in an attempt to reduce or control invasive plants or other aquatic weeds. We now know that these toxic chemicals can be linked to a wide range of public health and environmental concerns. They can be dangerous to other plants, animals, and most importantly human health. Potentially more troubling is the vast amount that we still do not know about pesticides and their impact on people - especially children - and our environment.

This resource guide provides a basic explanation of the aquatic invasive plant problem currently facing many lakes and ponds across the United States. Included are eight profiles of invasive aquatic plants commonly found in the Northeastern United States. This guide also provides information about the environmental and human health risks connected with the chemical treatment of invasive plants. Included is information on the six chemicals that serve as the main active ingredients in aquatic herbicides and 15 alternative treatment techniques that can be used to reduce or control invasive aquatic weed problems. The guide also contains a case study on Lake Cochituate in Natick, MA where state and town officials have launched a pilot project to manage invasive aquatic weeds using non-toxic techniques. Finally, the manual provides a list of resources available to concerned citizens interested in learning more about managing invasive plants in lakes and ponds across the region.