Workboats & Skimmers – Aquarius-Systems

DC Water Launches 2 New River Boat Skimmers to Clean the Anacostia River

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 20:55:55 +0000

Two new boats launched by DC Water this week will help scoop up floating trash and debris from the Anacostia River, making the waterways cleaner and more enjoyable. aquarius systems

These boats a big investment by DC Water to reclaim our rivers. They will literally be pulling tons of trash out of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers as we continue to improve the health of each river while reacquainting our community with how beautiful – and important – these waterways are. trash hunter

DC Water pioneered the skimmer boat cleaning process back in 1992. The program has been an enormous success, with 300-500 tons of trash removed from the waterways of the District of Columbia every year.

Aquarius Systems Trash Hunter Removes Debris in India

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 22:37:05 +0000

Residents of Hyderabad, India can now look forward to a pleasant drive along the Hussainsagar lake, albeit the persistent foul odor.

For effective cleaning and collection of floating material like hyacinth, algal weeds, plastic bags, coconut shells and other trash, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority has procured Floating Trash Collector from United States (Aquarius Systems).

The Aquatic Debris Skimmer Boat will help in improving the air and water quality by reducing the pollution levels around the lake as well as help clear floating material, weeds and hyacinth on the surface of water.

Trash Hunter Collects 1,545 Cubic Yards of Debris

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 19:41:38 +0000

The crew of the Lynyrd Skymmr rescued three canoeists and set a record in collecting 1,545 cubic yards of floating debris from Milwaukee, Wisconsin rivers this year.

The 50-foot-long vessel scooped up three dozen tree trunks and uncounted branches along with the usual urban flotsam of plastic containers, trash, road construction safety barrels, tires and dead fish.

The debris skimmer was on the water for 128 days in 2017, a season that began April 11 and ended Nov. 3, said Sharon Mertens, the district’s director of water quality protection.

The 1,545 cubic yards of debris collected this year is enough to fill more than 77 of the commercial-size 20-yard garbage Dumpsters. Those open top containers are 22 feet long and 8 feet wide.

Lynyrd Skymmr Rocks at Keeping Milwaukee Rivers Clean

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:34:40 +0000

If there’s a cooler name than the Lynyrd Skymmr for any piece of heavy equipment in America, Jim Stingl would like to hear it.

Milwaukee’s river skimmer is back on the water for the season with its rocking moniker. In 2013 the Aquarius Systems’ Trash Hunter collected 1,225 cubic yards of garbage and debris from rivers and Lake Michigan. It’s enough to fill 61 dumpsters this size:

Some cities, like Washington, D.C., haven’t bothered to name their skimmers. Others have come up with just-OK names. Houston, Texas calls its boat the Mighty Tidy, which beat out Stinky Pinky and Captain Clean in a contest there.

Cleveland, Ohio, home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, settled for the literal Flotsam and Jetsam for its river-clearing boats. New York has a few including the Jamaica Bay, Snowy Egret and Ibis. Yawn.

Jane Dauffenbach, president of Aquarius Systems in North Prairie, Wisconsin, which built Milwaukee’s boat, said aquatic weed harvesters made by the company were more often named. Brooklyn has the Lake Mess Monster; Bakersfield, California whacks watery weeds with the Mark Twain; and Indian Lake in Ohio uses the pun-free Lake Raker.

So it looks like Lynyrd Skymmr blows the competition out of the water. With a name that suggests high decibels, it’s notable that this 3-year-old watercraft is 40% quieter than its predecessor.

Alligator Lake Excavation Almost Complete

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 18:05:02 +0000

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has teamed up with Perry Construction Company to help clean Alligator Lake in Columbia County.

The goal of the project is to improve the habitat for fisheries and so far they have excavated about five thousand yards of muck and weeds, which combine to form floating islands of vegetation, called tussocks.

In order to get control of the weeds, they use machinery such as an aquatic weed harvester and amphibious excavators.

Removing these tussocks allows more sunlight to penetrate the lake, improving the overall quality of the ecosystem.

Trash Hunter Boat Is Cruising Passaic River for Filth

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 14:58:19 +0000

The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission has a new weapon to help combat the perpetually unpleasant problem of floating trash and debris in the Passaic River: a state-of-the-art “Trash Hunting” vessel.

The PVSC launched its Aquarius System Trash Hunter TH-34 Skimmer Vessel into the Newark Bay last week, sending it off on its first wave of “rigorous” river trials. The 50-foot long, 13-foot wide, 27,500-pound boat features twin catamaran hulls and a water jet propulsion system, all of which will help it with its mission… to patrol the Passaic River and Newark Bay area for trash.

Though the Passaic River in New Jersey is the “cleanest it has been in decades,” debris continues to wash in with the tide every day, the PVSC said. Last year, the agency removed 12,960 tons of “debris” from local waterways.

Litter Skimmer Celebrates One Year Removing Floating Debris

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 19:58:15 +0000

Tampa’s “Litter Skimmer” trash boat is celebrating one year on the water.

The boat operates eight hours a day, four days per week, picking up floating trash along the Hillsborough River, Davis Islands, and the Bay.

The Litter Skimmer launched last year as part of the “Keep It Clean, Tampa” initiative. Since it’s inception, the Little Skimmer has:

Been on the water for a total of 841 hours
Collected 40,216 pounds of trash (20.01 Tons)
Generated 9,645 KWh of electricity from the trash collected.

NYC DEP Debris Skimmer Boat Collects Marine Debris

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 22:09:52 +0000

We love to see our boats in action and seeing this large boat look so small against the giant backdrop of Brooklyn is just breathtaking.

The Titan, which is a specially designed marine debris skimmer for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, is engineered to withstand Sea State 4 condition. It is the perfect solution to solve marine debris problems in ports, harbors and coastal areas susceptible to harsher elements.

Trash Floods Fishtrap Lake

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 21:35:49 +0000

Fishtrap is one of the larger lakes in Eastern Kentucky, at more than 1,000 acres, and it attracts about 200,000 visits per year. Boaters also frequent Fishtrap to cruise and admire the steep mountains and rocky outcroppings that jut up from the banks.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers resource manager at Fishtrap said the yearly invasion of debris is an unfortunate inevitability. With a 395-square mile watershed — more than 90 percent of which is in nearby Virginia — the lake will always collect debris from spring rainfall.

The corps contracts a boat called the “Trash Hunter” to help clean up the debris, but even with the specialized vessel, collecting and sorting trash and wood costs about $32 per square yard.

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Billions Invested in Clean Water: Port Milwaukee Implements a Range of Methods to Great Success

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 20:36:20 +0000

In 2012, an environmental star of sorts was born, celebrated by Milwaukeeans, especially those who enjoy strolling along the Milwaukee Riverwalk or kayaking on Milwaukee River.

The Lynyrd Skymmr is a 50-foot-long river skimmer that cruises Port Milwaukee‘s waterways several times a week to collect floating debris — dead fish, plastic bottles, branches and other refuse.

However, when it comes to Port Milwaukee’s attempts to clean up the river, Lynyrd Skymmr only touches the surface of its efforts. The bulk of the work happens underground.

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District contracts the services of Lynyrd Skymmr and also operates greater Milwaukee’s wastewater treatment, flood management and green infrastructure for the area’s 28 communities with 1.1 million residents. Managed by a commission of 11 elected and appointed officials, the district is the recipient of multiple U.S. Water Prizes for administering clean-water programs and infrastructure improvements.