I am not sure what Chris' motives are, but APW IMO is one of the better SAV species.

The underwater structure of the plant is thick enough to provide cover for young fish, but not so thick it excludes them. This allows introduced forage species to naturally persist in a pond such as GSH by harboring their YOY and preventing over predation before they mature and can spawn themselves. Submerged portions of APW provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species. After APW dies, its decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food for many aquatic invertebrates(such as grass shrimp). American pondweed is highly utilized as food by ducks and some other types of wildlife.

The floating leaves of it provide great fishing areas to work topwater frog baits and bass love to use the leaves for cover from the sun in the summer's heat. It is a native species and not as invasive as many other species.