Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Does Baby Pond Weed Die-Off???

I'm pretty sure this is Baby Pondweed. My pond was overrun with it this past year. I have obtained Grass Carp permit and will stock next spring. Question is, will the existing grass die off and decompose and drop to the bottom of the pond over the winter, or do I need to think about mechanically removing it in early spring and then the GC will manage the new growth?

Yes it appears to be small pondweed. I'm not sure of its winter behavior in TX. Kelly Duffie will be able to inform us more about it in TX winters. Normally it dies off in the north each winter and resprouts from seeds in early spring. It is considered an early invader of new ponds and often quite common in 'newish' ponds until other flora becomes established and crowds it out. Grass carp (2-4 yr olds) like it and eat a lot of it, sometimes up to 2000 lbs of wet weed per carp per year. Removing some of it is a way to remove some bound accumulated nutrients from your pond which helps lower the overall nutrient budget of the pond - a good thing.