FAQs

Finding the scientific name requires detective work, because there can be multiple common names that can vary geographically, and similar common names can refer to a variety of organisms. A good starting point is the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), a database of scientific and common names and broad taxonomic categories.

Plants naturally grow in and around lakes, but sometimes lakes and ponds can get an overgrowth of plants, algae, or bacteria. In many cases, humans are responsible. Chemicals that are used on lawns and in agriculture (like nitrogen and potassium) wash into our water systems. Once there, plants and algae have a feast on this “food.” Sometimes overgrowths of cyanobacteria (called “blooms”) can make...