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.

Mechanical Harvesting Removes Eelgrass from Local River Channel

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 17:31:48 +0000

About 40 trailers full of vallisneria americana, or eelgrass, have been removed from a site on the river nearby the Hamburg Road bridge since Monday, and about another 30 truckloads will be removed by Friday, said Pat Hohl, township supervisor.

A Professional Lake Management Inc. crew is using operator-run machinery to harvest, or chop, the thick weeds, which would reach chest-level if someone waded into the river, Hohl said.

The harvested eelgrass is being transported to vacant, township-owned property behind the community’s wastewater-treatment plant. There, the weeds will be allowed to rot, and could eventually be used as fertilizer.

The process does not involve chemical applications.

Vallisneria americana – Aquarius-Systems

Mechanical Harvesting Removes Rotting Tape Grass from Cheshire Reservoir

Mechanical Harvesting Removes Eelgrass from Local River Channel