Aquatic Plant Harvesters Used in Madison Lakes for 50 years

Floating weed harvesters have opened passages through Dane County Wisconsin’s dense tangles of underwater plants for about 50 years.

The barges wield rotating cutting bars like those on farm combines to cut a submerged crop that is fertilized too well by runoff of nutrients like dairy manure.

Each spring, the county launches a flotilla of 10 paddle-propelled aquatic mowers to cut and remove thousands of tons of soggy vegetation to improve navigation and reduce flood risk.

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