ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates the need for remote sensing monitoring of aquatic plants and to examine the economic feasibility of its use in moderately well-funded control programs. A successful plant control program needs means of detection and assessment of infested areas and of monitoring treated areas to determine the value of the utilized control method. Potential transpiration from floating aquatic plants in reservoirs is even more significant from the standpoint of water loss per unit area. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, responsible for most of the state's aquatic plant control, would like to use remote-sensing monitoring for aquatic plant inventory work but lacks funds and expertise. The test was assumed that a few overflights would sufficiently establish the typical appearance of a variety of aquatic plants in Texas lakes on color infrared film. The 3-year test produced about 1000 separate images of aquatic plant concentrations in various lakes. The majority of the photographs taken were of Lake Livingston.
