Hi Rainman:
I live on a 10 acre, 8ft deep swimming lake (former gravel pit). Al our submerged vegetation was killed by lousy treatment company, we had the lake choked out with curly-leaf pondweed. We want to get the good plants going again, and our research is leading us towards getting the Chara back again (filters and cleans the water) and would like Sago, American or Illinois Pondweed growing out in the middle.
I planted a buffer zone this year and find that everything grows in the sand. I am told Rushes and Sedges are good emergent plants along with Pickeral weed, but every region of the country is different, some things in the north aren't good in the south.
Have you contacted the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation, or the Aquatic Plant Management Society? You can find them on the internet. Here is a native nursery that sells to the public: JFNew Corporation, in West Olive Michigan, and Ann Arbor Michigan. You have to get the Pondweeds from them early in the Spring, and they have starter kits of emergent plants as well, and can ship them to you. They have a nice catalog. They also provide restoration services as well.
Lynda
