Methods & equipment
Mechanical harvesting
Mechanical harvesting uses a purpose-built aquatic harvester — a barge with submerged cutter blades and a conveyor that lifts cut vegetation into an onboard hold for transfer to shore disposal. The only remediation method that fully removes biomass from the water body, which means the nutrient load leaves with the plants instead of decaying in place. Equipment costs $250,000–$400,000 per harvester. Best for floating-mat invasives (hyacinth, lettuce) and topped-out submerged canopies. Cannot reach shallow shorelines or obstructed coves; mechanical fragmentation can spread hydrilla if cuts are made above the canopy.
Related services
Related terms
- Hydraulic dredgingPumping water and sediment through a cutter head and pipe to remove vegetation, muck, and the seed bank in one pass.
- Biological controlThe deliberate introduction of organisms — fish, insects, fungi — that consume specific invasive plants.
- Aquatic herbicideAny EPA-registered herbicide labeled for application to standing water or aquatic vegetation.
Related articles
- Mechanical vs. chemical aquatic weed control: tradeoffsSpray is fast and cheap. Mechanical is durable and selective. The right answer depends on the species, the season, and what you need the lake to do.
- Aquatic weed remediation methods: mechanical, chemical, biological, and physicalThere are seven proven methods for aquatic weed remediation. Most lake managers know two of them. The right method depends on the species, water body, and goal.