Featured Articles

In recent years, the use of barley straw has become more common as an alternative method for controlling excessive algae growth.

This is a summary of some common water quality parameters that may cause problems in ponds and how to detect and treat them.

A brief overview of the natural processes of an earthen pond and how to maintain a healthy pond.

Duckweed and watermeal are free-floating aquatic plants that are commonly encountered in Pennsylvania. They are usually found in nutrient-rich ponds with stagnant or little flow.

Coontail is a common aquatic plant in Pennsylvania ponds and lakes. It has whorls of stiff leaves that get more compact toward the end of the stem.

Nitella and Chara look like rooted, aquatic plants, but both are actually a form of algae.

Elodea is one of the few pond plants that can remain green all winter long.

One of more than 20 pondweed species (Potamogetons) that occur in Pennsylvania, this invasive plant from Europe frequently grows to nuisance levels in ponds.

One of the most common native, submerged pond plants in Pennsylvania.

Different species of filamentous algae exist, but all have a similar growth habit. These algae begin growth in the winter and early spring on the pond bottom.

Eurasian Milfoil is an invasive, nonnative plant with long stems, often reaching the surface, with feather-like leaves in whorls of 4 or 5 around the stem.

Planktonic algae floats in the water column and can sometimes be confused with muddy water. It causes the water to look green, brown, or reddish in color.

The links below provide a listing of aquatic or wetland plants considered to be noxious weeds by the federal government or Pennsylvania.

This information is intended to help select native aquatic plant alternatives and avoid invasive plant species. This guide is intended as a portable reference.

A water garden is fundamentally an outdoor aquarium. The gardener needs to manage the pH, nutrients, and organisms introduced into the system.

Late summer brings questions to Penn State Extension from pond owners about nuisance algae growth.

The type of aquaculture operation that you begin will be influenced by your financial and labor resources as well as available markets.