mechanical weed harvester – Aquarius-Systems

The Benefits of Fall Aquatic Weed Harvesting

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 15:16:45 +0000

As the seasons shift and temperatures drop, lake and pond owners must turn their attention to managing aquatic weeds that have accumulated over the warmer months. Fall offers a prime opportunity for aquatic weed harvesting, not only to maintain the health of the waterbody through the colder months but also to prepare it for the next growth cycle. Harvesting aquatic weeds during this season provides numerous benefits, ranging from improved water quality to long-term ecosystem health.

Nutrient Management and Prevention of Algae Blooms
One of the most important benefits of fall aquatic weed harvesting is the removal of biomass before it decays. When aquatic plants die off, they decompose in the water, releasing nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. These excess nutrients can lead to algae blooms in the spring, contributing to poor water quality, reduced oxygen levels, and even fish kills. By removing aquatic weeds in the fall, you prevent the buildup of organic matter and reduce the likelihood of nutrient overloads, helping maintain the delicate balance of the ecosystem.

Improved Water Clarity and Oxygen Levels
Decaying plant material reduces water clarity and depletes oxygen levels as it breaks down. Harvesting aquatic weeds before they die and sink to the bottom helps keep the water clearer and oxygen-rich, creating a more hospitable environment for fish and other aquatic species.

Aquatic Invasive Species Control
Fall is an ideal time to target aquatic invasive weeds, which often survive mild winters and can regrow more vigorously in the spring. By harvesting them in the fall, you disrupt their life cycle, reducing their chance of returning the following season. Early intervention prevents the spread of invasive species, preserving the native plants and ensuring a balanced aquatic ecosystem.

Ease of Access and Effective Timing
Many lakes experience lower water levels in the fall, making it easier to access areas that are otherwise submerged. This improved access allows for more thorough harvesting and reduces the effort required to clear overgrown areas. Additionally, fall is an optimal time for mechanical harvesting and sediment removal since the reduction in plant density allows equipment to function more efficiently.

Prepares the Waterbody for Winter and Spring
Aquatic weed harvesting in the fall sets up your lake or pond for better conditions during the winter and spring months. By reducing plant material and debris, the waterbody can stabilize over winter, preventing weed seeds from taking root and spreading. When spring arrives, you’ll notice less vegetation and fewer invasive plants, making it easier to manage and maintain a balanced aquatic ecosystem.

Fall aquatic weed harvesting is a proactive strategy that enhances the health and beauty of lakes and ponds. By addressing the buildup of aquatic plants and debris before winter, lake managers can improve water quality, protect aquatic life, and minimize the risk of algae blooms in the spring. The combination of mechanical removal and nutrient management ensures a healthier waterbody for years to come.

Aquarius Systems Aquatic Plant Harvesters

Mechanical Harvesting Removes Rotting Tape Grass from Cheshire Reservoir

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 20:43:09 +0000

A very warm winter combined with a long spring and a hot dry summer caused the weeds to flourish at an accelerated rate at Cheshire Reservoir in Massachusetts.

A treatment to control Vallisnaria americana weed, also known as tape grass from the reservoir generated a massive release of the weeds grip on the lake bottom. Wind and water currents carried the rotting plant material on nearby shores.

Lake Management workers with the use of a mechanical harvester were able to remove about 80 dump truckloads of dead and rotting tape grass. Rotting material still remains behind, but works plan to return to collect more vegetation.

St. Albans Weed Harvesters Remove Tons of Unwanted Plant Material

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 21:08:38 +0000

Each year, the St. Albans Area Watershed Association uses mechanical harvesters to cut and remove tons of unwanted plant material out of St. Albans Bay. The harvesters scooped up almost 90,000 bushels of plants in 2020 alone.

The aquatic weed harvesters are used for establishing things like navigation lanes and clearing out areas of varied plant growth, like impacted boating or swimming areas and the weed harvester can remove a lot of plant material. Alternatives would be more time consuming and expensive!

Funding for the 18-year old program is now in question as concerns were raised whether the harvesters are contributing to the spread of Eurasian watermilfoil by fragmentation in Lake Champlain.

However, an environmental analyst with the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation said that there’s no hard scientific evidence outside of anecdotal observation to suggest that harvesting is causing the spread of the milfoil. There are no data sets to answer whether the two lake weed harvesters are the major spreaders of the invasive plant species when there is plenty of boat traffic making waves and cutting through the invasive vegetation.

Mechanical Harvesting of Eurasian Milfoil Improves Safety at Columbia River Parks

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:59:26 +0000

By Rochelle Feil

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

This harvest feeds no hunger, just a compost pile.

The benefit from the harvest is safety and convenience for users of parks along the Columbia River in Washington: no tangled feet and easier launching for boaters.

Ben Mendoza and Randy Smith, Chelan County PUD park maintenance personnel, spend four days a week July through August clearing parks of Eurasian milfoil, an aquatic noxious weed. The parks are between the Beebe Bridge and Rock Island Dam.

“It’s kinda like mowing lawn,” says Smith about running the milfoil harvester.

The harvester cuts the milfoil below the water level, catches and lifts it onto a conveyor and secures it in a holding tank until the harvester docks and the milfoil is removed.

Smith and Mendoza have worked together since 1997 and have been harvesting milfoil for the state and county parks along the Columbia River in Chelan and Douglas counties for two years.

A day harvesting milfoil begins with getting the harvester ready for the water.

They lower the paddle wheels, take the “Oversize Load” sign off the back and erect a large shade umbrella over the seating area. Even with the umbrella, they lather on the sunscreen and get ready for a hot day on the water.

Also with them are inflatable vests, safety goggles, ear plugs, lots of water and iced Gatorade.

The men back a trailer holding the harvester into the water, then push the machine off the trailer with the help of a hydraulic lift.

While one person runs the harvester on the water, the other stays on shore, performing basic maintenance on the pump and trailer.

When the harvester is full, it is maneuvered toward shore, where the conveyor is shifted into reverse and the load is dumped onto a truck bed. The load is then taken to a compost heap on park grounds.

Keith Truscott, environmental and permitting manager for Chelan County PUD, says milfoil has such a high water content that even a very large pile will break down to almost nothing when it dries.

By the time the truck has come back from dumping the weeds, says Smith, the harvester is often full again and the next batch of harvested milfoil is ready to be taken to the compost pile.

Mendoza and Smith agree that Dave Coble, their crew leader and the man who trained them to use the machine, holds the record for most loads harvested in a single day at 26. Mendoza and Smith claim they aren’t really keeping count, but Mendoza says his personal record is about 14.

The size of the park, technical difficulty and the amount of milfoil to be harvested determines how long it takes to finish each park and how much is harvested each day.

Mendoza says the job is easier when the water level is lower. The milfoil and any hazards are easier to see then.

Both he and Smith concede the most difficult park is Will Risk Memorial Park, commonly known as Entiat park. Foundations from the original town of Entiat, buried underwater after the erection of Rocky Reach Dam in 1961, are near the surface there. The two slow down when harvesting that area to prevent damaging the machine.

If something on the harvester needs fixing, often it can be done while still on the water, with the tools kept on board.

Harvesting can get a little scary when the gates at dams open, Mendoza says. With the stronger current and a full load, the harvester can’t move very quickly and has to fight against the current.

Duties working in park maintenance vary and include plowing snow in the winter, mowing lawns and pruning.

The two men work four days a week, Monday through Thursday, avoiding Fridays and weekends because the boat launches and parks are busier on those days.

“We try to be considerate and stay out of people’s way,” says Smith.

Rochelle Feil: 664-7153

feil@wenworld.com