Case Study: Mechanical Harvesters Manage Weeds for the Fishery and Navigation

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

67,900 acre reservoir created for flood control and electric generation
94’ high and 3,979 dam across the Tennessee River generates 123 megawatts
Only 15% of the 890 miles of shoreline is developed
Average depth of Guntersville Lake is 15’ with a maximum depth of 45’
Premier angling destination with a robust and diverse fishery
Abundance of aquatic vegetation including milfoil, hydrilla and eelgrass

Guntersville Lake has an excess of aquatic plants that not only impede navigation and recreation, but could potentially disrupt hydrogeneration.

PROJECT CHALLENGE

Guntersville Lake aquatic plants cover about 19,000 acres
Aquatic vegetation needs to be managed to maintain the fishery and for navigation
Floating mats of eelgrass can be acres in size and moves freely with current and wind and can threaten power generation by clogging turbine trash racks
Full of submerged stump fields that were left after the forest was cut to create the lake

THE SOLUTION

Owned, operated, and maintained by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Guntersville Lake has an excess of aquatic plants that not only impede navigation and recreation, but could potentially disrupt hydrogeneration.

A fleet of HM-420 Mechanical Weed Harvesters are utilized on Guntersville Lake to open and maintain boating lanes and to remove floating plant material that could possibly clog turbine trash racks and impact hydrogeneration.

Aquarius Systems HM-420 Aquatic Plant Harvester

Weed Harvester removing aquatic vegetation.

In 2022, the fleet of equipment removed 1,621 loads of aquatic vegetation. The nutrient rich vegetation was taken to local homes and farms to be used as fertilizer. The phosphorus contained in the harvested vegetation has the potential to produce 607 tons of algae.