Duckweed & Watermeal Control

While free-floating Duckweed and Watermeal are native plants, they can quickly reproduce and take over a pond, becoming a nuisance. These two plants are very unique in that they have no “true” root system. Duckweed has roots but is not attached to the substrate, and Watermeal is completely rootless and can be difficult to control.

Let’s Break It Down.

These two plants are often seen in colonies together and grow on the surface of lakes and ponds. Because of their ability to completely cover the surface of the water in such a short time span (3-6 weeks), they can cause oxygen depletion within the waterbody and fish kills can occur.  They can also block sunlight from reaching through the water column, limiting photosynthesis. This can limit the amount of other native plants that would normally grow under the surface.  Due to the fast reproduction cycle of these plants, it is imperative to treat them early and often to avoid 100% infestation.  
A lack of oxygen in an aquatic system can cause fish kills and also be fatal to other macroinvertebrates in the water.  This can also mean difficulty on the treatment side of things as a water body can experience a massive drop in oxygen from the treatment of significant duckweed or watermeal outbreaks.  

Your Options for Treatment

McCloud Aquatics offers a few different options for Duckweed and Watermeal control. Customers have the choice of paying for season-long control or can choose to pay for each individual application that is made for accounts where duckweed occasionally shows up. Aside from varying treatment schedules, we also offer various different control methods and application rates.