Aquatic plants are often dealt with on a local scale, when in reality they impact wide areas outside of the traditional lake or river habitat. They can affect aesthetics, drainage, fishing, water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, flood control, human and animal health, hydropower generation, irrigation, navigation, recreation, and, ultimately, land values. The authors of this paper emphasize the necessity for the skillful management of nuisance aquatic plants and algae, and they hope regulators, managers, stakeholders, and legislators gain scientific insights about this important issue.
