cy'
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Progress Report Series No. 69 March, 1958
AGRICULTURAL EXP ET STATION
of The Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Ala.
E. V. SMITH, Director
Controlling Aquatic Weedsi Fish
Ponds wd Emphasis on
Use 4 Chemicals
J. M. LAWRENCE, Associate Fish Culturist
THE PRESENCE Of aquatic plant growths in ponds,
lakes, streams, and irrigation channels pre-
sents problems for persons using such bodies of
water. Principal water uses at present include
fish production, domestic and industrial water
supplies, irrigation, stock watering, water-fowl
habitat, and recreation. Obnoxious aquatic
growths common to various waters and interfering
with one or more of these uses come from the
following groups: Plankton algae, filamentous
algae, submerged rooted 
plants, emergent rooted
plants, marginal rooted plants, and floating types
of plants.
There have been and possibly still are those
who advocate the need for aquatic weed growth
in ponds, lakes, and streams. Some of the pro-
posed advantages of aquatic weed growth in
bodies of water are summarized by Hotchkiss (14),
and included the following: (1) production of
oxygen for use by the fishes; (2) additional space
for attachment as well as food for aquatic inverte-
brate animals, which in turn serve as food for
fishes; (3) shade for fishes; (4) hiding space for
small fishes; (5) precipitation of colloidal clays
and other suspended matter; and (6) beautifica-
tion of ponds, lakes, and streams.
A2 If new ponds are properly constructed and
Smanaged, problems of controlling water weeds
are greatly reduced. Construction features, de-
4';3126
scribed by Lawrence (15), include deepening
the pond edge to ensure minimum water depth
of 18 inches, and building up and sodding the
pond bank. Pond management practices include
proper fertilization of the pond as recommended
by Swingle and Smith (33). An efficient fertili-
zation method utilizing platforms was described
by Lawrence (16). It is becoming more evident
each year that proper fertilization is essential for
weed control and maximum fish production. Cer-
tainly, an economical weed control program must
include adequate fertilization.
These practices are not followed in unmanaged
ponds, and often well-managed ponds show some
weed growth. This necessitates control measures
to eliminate water weeds. The methods of con-
trol currently in use are either biological, mechan-
ical, or chemical. Oftentimes all three are neces-
sary for desired results. Summaries covering
various aspects of these control methods have
been given by Speirs (29), Surber (32), Crafts
(7), and Stephens (30).
This report summarizes in tabular form by plant
groups all pertinent information concerning con-
trol methods used for the more objectionable
water weeds, with major emphasis on their appli-
cation to fish ponds. Also included are sum-
maries of toxic effects of chemicals on fish as well
as on higher animal forms.
TABLE 1. BIOLOGICAL IETITODS FOR CONTROL OF AQUATIC WEEDS IN PONDS
Groups of plants responding to biological control
Biological method Filamentous 
Submerged Emergent Marginal Floating
algae weeds weeds weeds weeds
Phytoplankton induced by fertilization - 0 X X 0 O
Crayfish ------............................................................ X X 0 0
Ducks --------------------------------------------------------- 0 0 0 0 X(?)
Geese ...-------------------------------------------------------0 0 0 0 X(?)
Herbivorous fishes -------.----------- ----- X X X1 Xi Xi
No such species are known in the United States at present.
TABLE 2. MECHANICAL METHODS FOR TErIPORARY CONTROL OF AQUATIC WEEDS IN PONDS
Groups of plants responding to mechanical control
Mcchanical method Filamentous 
Submerged Emergent Marginal Floating
algae weeds weeds weeds weeds
Draining and drying pond bottom ------------- 0 X X X X
Draining plus burning ..---------- X ----------------------. X X X
Draining plus discing -------- - ..-------- X X X X X
Draining, discing, and planting
to dry land grain crop -..-------------------- X X X X X
Cutting and or chaining ..-------------------- 0 X X X X
Raking -------- ------ -----------. -X X X X X
Seining ------------------------------------ X 0 O 0 X
Digging out ....-------------------------------- 0 0 0 X 0
Beating --..........----------------------------------- X 0 0 0 0
Grazing --.........----------------------------------- 0 0 0 X 0
Mechanical agitation of pond bottom ---------- X X X 0 0
Shading induced by:
Dyes ----------------------------------- X X X 0 0
Suspended clay colloids ------------------ X X X 0 0
Humic acids - - X X X 0 0
TABLE 3. TOXICITY OF SELECTED ALGACIDES AND AQUATIC HERBICIDES TO FISH AND WARM-BLOODED ANIMALS
Chemicals Concentration LD,, rats,' Effects when included in diet
"safe" to fish
p.p.m. 
mg/kg
Copper sulphate 0.5 - 2.0 300 Less than 100 p.p.m. in drinking water safe for cattle.
One gm. daily before toxicity becomes evident in
larger animals.
2,4-D esters 3 -5 500 20 mg/kg daily toxic to dogs.
(acid)
Oktone 1.9
Roccal 1.9 234 0.25 per cent daily to rats and 0.12 per cent daily to
dogs, no harmful effects.
Sodium arsenite ( 18 13 0.2 gm. lethal to man, 30 to 60 grains lethal to cow.
TCA ( 50 3,370 0.3 per cent daily for 4 months to rats, no mortality.
2,4,5-T 3 300 10 mg/kg daily not lethal to dogs.
(acid)
Amino triazole 1,470 14,700 - 25,000 100 mg/kg daily for 2 weeks depressed thyroid func-
tion in rats, but they recovered.
Ammate 10 3,900 0.5 pound in 5 days to sheep, no harmful effects.
Baron 5 1,000 - 3,500
Dalapon 3,000 6,590 - 8,120 1 gm/kg daily for 10 days to cattle, no serious effects.
Delrad 0.5 850 33 p.p.m. in drinking water for 8 weeks to cattle, no
effects.
Kuron (Silvex) 3 650 100 mg/kg daily for 15 days to steers, no effects.
Borascu (borax) 130 - 200 5,330 15 to 30 gm. lethal to man.
CMU ( 1.2 3,500 500 mg/kg daily for 10 days to rats, lost weight but
no deaths.
Ferbam 0.5 4,000 0.1 per cent to rats for 30 days, no deaths.
2 methyl-4-chloro- ( 35 28
phenoxyacetic acid (lethal)
Orthodichlorobenzene ( 3 1 to 3 gm. lethal to man.
Phygon XL 0.05 - 0.6 1,300 1,580 p.p.m. daily to rats for 2 years, no effects.
Potassium permanganate 3 -5 500
Tributyl phosphate 5 3,000
( - Concentration less than.
1 Information from selected references.
TABLE 4. HERBICIDE DILUTION TABLE
Per cent Units per 5 gallon mixture Units per 100 gallon mixture
active Concentration of mixture, per cent Concentration of mixture, per cent
ingredient 0.1 0.25 0.5 0.1 0.25 0.5
Pt. or lb. Pt. or lb. Pt. or lb. Qt. Lb. Qt. Lb. Qt. Lb.
20 0.20 0.50 1.00 2.00 4.00 5.0 10.0 10.0 20
40 0.10 0.25 0.50 1.00 2.00 2.5 5.0 5.0 10
60 0.07 0.17 0.34 0.75 1.25 2.0 3.4 3.8 7
80 0.05 0.12 0.25 0.50 1.00 1.3 2.5 2.5 5
100 0.04 0.10 0.20 0.40 0.80 1.0 2.0 2.0 4
Total pounds per acre of herbicide at recommended 200 gallon rate: 0.1 per cent solution, 1.6 pounds; 0.25 per cent
solution, 4 pounds; 0.5 per cent solution, 8 pounds.
Liquid measures based on gallon weighing 8 pounds.
TABLE 5. CHEMICAL REQUIRED PER ACRE-FOOT TO GIVE A DEFINITE CONCENTRATION IN POND WATER
Amount per acre-foot for different concentration
0.2 p.p.m. 0.5 p.p.m. 1.0 p.p.m. 4.0 p.p.m.
Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb.
25 2.2 5.5 10.8 43.2
50 1.1 2.8 5.4 21.6
75 0.7 1.8 3.6 14.4
100 0.5 1.3 2.7 10.8

TABLE 6. CONCNATONS OF SELECTED CawlIcAts THAT H~vE SHowNrPROMISING; HERBICIoDAL Acivrry 
ON AQUATIC PLANn
Effective treatment concentration in p.p.m. active ingredient'
T-- -
Plankton algae Filamentous algae Submerged weedsEmretW
-.. " 7 1 1 1 1 I 
in --- .. i - I I, - 11 
-- I1 Wr
Cu
C
U)
Cl
PC
Cu
C
4-
0
Cu
C14
U,
0
bO
0
0
4
4
0
41J
~0
-
u
Cd
Cu
U)
"0
0
rz~
0
0
t
P-
p0
U'
0
0
CS
.45
COPPER SULPHATE 
J1- .1- 
1-- .5-
.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 .33 1.0
2,4-D ESTER8 (BUTYL) 
10'4 4 0
2,4-Dl ESTER
3 
(ISOPROPYL) io0 1O
OKTONE
5
ROCL.2 
.2 .5
SODIUM ARSENITE4 
4 4 4
TCA 14{2 4 4 2
AMINO TRIAZOLE
AMMATE
BARON (EnBON)'
DALAPON
DELRAD .3 .3 .3 
.3 .4 .4 A4
KURAMINE'
KURON S
Fermate . 5 
3
2 methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetie acid100
Monuron _____ 1
Orthodichlorobenzene 1
Phygon XL .01 .01 .15 
15 .
Potassium permanganate200
1 One p.p.m. is 2.7 pounds per acre-foot. One acre-foot is 1 acre of water 1 foot deep.
' Spray rates are based on arn application of 200 gallons of a given concentration per acre.
a For best results these chemicals should be mixed with diesel fuel. Such diesel fuel spray solutions may 
impart flavors to fish fr4t ek fe plcto
3.-
U)
U)
U'
4-.
0
Q)
.4-0
0
0
3-.
04
U,
Effective spray concentration in per cent active ingredien?
eeds Marginal weeds 
Floating weeds;
Pd
4-
U)
4J
3.-
0
C
C
U)
0.4
0
0
16-4 tO
Q0
U)
Piz
cu
Q)
U)
Cd
u
"0
Cu
0
Pu
Q)
'a
X'
CA
En
3-
0.
bo
3.,
CA
Q)
C
z-
U'
"0
U)
U)
C
.5 -.- a - -------------------------------- 5a -5
15 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 . 25 .5 .25 ..5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5
4
.5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .3 .3 .3 .3 .1 o3 .3 .5 5 .55
1.2 1.2 .6 .6 1.0 .5
5 55 5 5 5 5 5
1.2 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7
.6 1.2 1.0 .610
.7 .7 .7 .6
-7 .
4
- a a ~ a ------------------------------------- a a
Ui
.05
.05
10
' These concentrations are not recommended for use in ponds since they will kill fish as well as plants.
5This chemical must be applied in diesel fuel, with high pressure equipment, at rate not to exceed 20 gallons per acre.
r
CHEMICALS
Note : Those in capital letters are recoin-
mended; those i n caps and small
caps are safe for use in ponds.
Insufficient data available to
evaluate others listed.
0


SELECTED REFERENCES
(1) Ambrose, A. M., (Ammate), Jour. Ind. Hyg. Tox.
25:26, 1943.
(2) American Cyanmide Co., (Amino triazole), personal
correspondence.
(3) Behrens, R., (Amino triazole), Proc. NCWCC, p. 61,
1953.
(4) Bio Research Laboratories, Berkley, Calif. (Borax
compounds), personal correspondence with U. S.
Borax and Chemical Co., Anaheim, Calif.
(5) Bucha, H. C. and Todd, C. W., (Diuron), Science
114(2967) :493-494, 1951.
(6) Calif. State Water Poll. 
Cont. Board, Pub. No. 3,
512 p., 1952, Addendum No. 1, 191 p., 1954.
(7) Crafts, A. S., Agr. Ext. Serv., Univ. Calif., Cir. 158,
16 p., 1949.
(8) Dow Chemical Co., Bul. 2 (Dalapon), 20 p., 1953.
(9) du Pont, E. I., de Nemours and Co., (Toxicity of
CMU compounds), 4 p. mimeo., 1954.
(10) Greenwald, M., (Bibliography of algae and aquatic
weed control), Research Div., Chipman Chem.
Co., 1956, Supplement, 1957.
(11) Hale, F. E., (Copper sulphate), 44 p. bul., Phelps
Dodge Refining Corp., 1950.
(12) Hercules Powder Co., (Delrad), personal 
corre-
spondence.
(13) Hodges, H. C. et al, (Ferbam), Jour. Amer. Pharm.
Assoc. 41(2) :662-665, 1952.
(14) Hotchkiss, Neil, A Symposium of Hydrobiology,
Univ. Wisc. Press. 152-162, 1939.
(15) Lawrence, J. M., Agr. Expt. Sta., Ala. Poly. 
Inst.,
Cir. 95, 1949.
(16) Lawrence, J. M., Prog. Fish Cult. 16(4):176-178,
1954.
(17) Lawrence, J. M., Prog. Fish Cult. 17(3):141-143,
1955.
(18) Lawrence, J. M., (Delrad), Prog. Fish Cult. 
(In
press).
(19) Lawrence, J. M., (Effects sodium arsenite 
on fish),
Proc. S.E. Game and Fish Commissioners. 
(In
press).
(20) Lehman, A. I., (2,4-D, Phygon 
XL), Quat. Bul.,
Assoc. Food and Drug Officials of U. S. 15(4):
122-123, 1951; 16(2):47-53, 1952.
(21) Lennon, R. E., Nat'l. Acad. Sci., Nat'l. Research
Council, Chemical & Biological Coord. Center,
VI (No. 3):186-212, (No. 5):360-372, 1954;
VII (No. 2):213-265, (No. 3):400-412, 1955.
(22) Martin, H., (Guide to chemicals used 
in crop pro-
duction), Canada Dept. Agr., 3rd ed., London,
Ontario, Canada.
(23) Middleton, A. D., (2 methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic
acid), Proc. 4th General Assembly, Inter. Union
for Protection of Nature, Copenhagen:161-163,
1956.
(24) Missouri Conservation Commission, 
(Oktone),
Ponds for Fish and Wildlife Prod. 40 p., 1953.
(25) Raynor, R. N. and Britton, J. W., (Ammate), Calif.
Agr. Expt. Sta. Leaflet, 5 p., 1943.
(26) Smyth, H. F., Jr., (Tributyl phosphate), Jour. Ind.
Hyg. Tox. 26:269, 1944.
(27) Snow, J. R., (2,4-D), Prog. Fish Cult. 
11(2):105-
108, 1949.
(28) Snow, J. R., (2,4-D, Amino triazole 
etc., effects on
marginal weeds), Proc. S.E. Game and Fish
Commissioners. (In press).
(29) Spector, W. S., Editor, N.R.C. Handbook 
of Toxi-
cology, Vol. I, 1955.
(30) Speirs, J. M., Canadian Fish Cult. 
3(4):20-32,
1948.
(31) Stephens, J. C., Soil Sci. Soc. Fla. 
Proc. 14:122-
126, 1954.
(32) Sterwin Chemical Co., (Roccal), 
Bul., 1955.
(33) Surber, E. W., U. S. Dept. of Int., 
Fish and Wild-
life Service, Fishery Leaflet 344, 21 p., 
1949.
(34) Swingle, H. S. and Smith, E. V., 
Agr. Expt. Sta.,
Ala. Poly. Inst., Bul. 254, 1947.
(35) Thienes, C. H. and Haley, 
T. J., (Borax and
arsenic), Clinical Toxicology, Lea 
and Febiger,
Philadelphia, 373 p., 1949.
(36) Woodard, G. et al, (TCA), Jour. 
aInd. Hyg. Tox.
23:78-82, 1941.