We have always been told that this stuff is hydrilla, but of all the hydrilla pics I can find, I don't really see any with red stems that grow up out of the water.

We have had this problem in our pond for about 10 years now with each year getting worse. As it is now the entire outline of the pond is saturated with this mess. It used to just be visible under the surface, but this year it started growing out of the water as shown in the picture.

I am sorry that I do not have any better pictures of this mess, but I am about 2 hours away from the location now. If anyone can help me ID this for sure, and maybe offer some links or advice on how to treat this problem, I would be greatly appreciative.

Thanks,
Steve

Try this link. http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/myaqpic.html
It looks like parrotfeather, from your photo.

It looks like form of Mare's Tail, Hippuris Vulgaris, though what it's exact Latin name is something I have yet to come across. I'm not sure how you work out that it is a problem, it is a fairly easy plant to dredge, simple rhisome and roots easy to extract, a typical aquatic plant of fertile aquatic waters. If you try to dispose of it, some other plant will take its place, quite likely something with worse growing habit for example Cattails or Water Plantain.

The 'problem' with the pond is neglect, it needs dredging to reduce the build up of organic debris to keep the water less shallow. Over time, ponds fill themselves in, all sorts of plants establish among the debris and the accumulation builds up.

Mare's tail is one of those opportunists that will establish in shallow fertile ponds. Thank your lucky stars you have a pond that aquatic plants can grow in, so many ponds in the Carolina's are little more than toxic waste dumps with all the poisons that have gone into them...

Something that the Mare's Tail is good for, is creating sheltered spawning areas for fish and tiddlers to get going, besides improving the water quality of the pond. If you want to improve the fishing, dredge a few areas where you want to cast your line, and leave a few areas of Mares Tail to thicken up, to create sheltered areas for tiddlers to thrive safe from predators

Regards, andy