AQUATIC WEED CONTROL METHODS
Aquatic weeds are recognized as some of the most difficult weed problems on the planet. One species (Hydrilla verticillata, Hydrilla) is listed as one of the world’s top ten worst weeds. On a worldwide basis, the most widespread approach to aquatic weed control is mainly achieved through manual or mechanical cutting. LAPR uses a combination of specialized approaches that yield fast and sustainable results. Click Here to identify the aquatic weeds in your waterbody.
Biological Control
The eco-friendliest method of aquatic weed control is biological control. The stocking of Triploid Grass Carp, a weed-eating fish, is remarkably effective. The fish stocking program consists of four separate services: governmental permitting, installation of a fish barrier, cleaning the fish barrier, and stocking the fish. Pricing for biological control services is specific to each waterway.
Chemical Control
In specific settings, periodic applications of aquatic herbicides and algaecides to control aquatic weeds and algae is required. Treatment is administered only when necessary and with the utmost professional care. Before treatment of aquatic herbicides or algaecides, water chemistry tests are usually conducted to ensure appropriate levels for fish and other aquatic life survival.
Mechanical Control
Physically removing aquatic weeds from your waterway achieves immediate results. Manual removal of aquatic weeds may be the first step for restoration of a lake or pond. A waterway assessment is done to determine the most cost-effective approach on a per-project basis.
LAPR Weed Harvester
LAPR has developed a proprietary Aquatic Weed Harvester mounted on an airboat for dramatic improvement of aquatic weed control. It quickly cuts and removes floating, submersed, and emerged aquatic weeds including cattails, torpedo grass, hydrilla, naiad, bladderwort, water hyacinth, water lettuce, and many others. The Harvester launches easily for convenient access to various bodies of water.
Algae Control
The answer for algae control is simple: prevent the environmental conditions in which it thrives. However, the solution for algae control is complex. LAPR implements countermeasures such as aeration systems, pond dyes, and flocculation which are affordable and highly effective solutions for pond and lake management.
THE PROBLEMS WITH ALGAE
Without algae, there would be no life on Earth as we know it. Algae is the most prevalent and widespread plant on the earth. As phytoplankton it provides most of the oxygen we breathe and provides food for zooplankton which is essential to all aquatic food chains.
However, many forms of algae are noxious and even toxic to humans. This article addresses the control of noxious algae and cyanobacteria in freshwater ponds and lakes.
In freshwater waterways, there are three categories of algae: planktonic, filamentous, and cyanobacteria.
- Planktonic algae are one-celled and cause water coloration, usually green.
- Filamentous algae grow in clumps or strings and may be any color, but green is typical.
- Cyanobacteria or blue-green algae have many forms and colors. Cyanobacteria is microscopic and identification is important because it releases toxins as it dies.
Planktonic algae blooms can be tragically problematic causing massive fish kills. The algae kill fish by consuming oxygen in the water during the night or cloudy conditions. Typically planktonic algae can be controlled with aeration or through natural changes in the environmental conditions causing the bloom. Planktonic algae is not a typical issue for an aquatic manager.
Filamentous algae can become a significant water management challenge. As more land is developed water pollution increases from stormwater run-off. Scientists have documented the rise in the number of filamentous algae blooms. Filamentous algae are caused by high nutrient, warm, shallow, clear, stagnant water. The many stormwater ponds in Florida provide the perfect conditions for filamentous algae to grow rapidly.
Endothol and hydrogen peroxide very effective algaecides that do breakdown into non-harmful compounds. LAPR uses these products only when biological and mechanical control methods are not practical. Biological and mechanical control methods are preferable since they treat the symptom and the cause. The symptom is the algae and the cause is high nutrients. When using algaecides, the nutrients are reintroduced into the water body as the algae decay. The cycling of nutrients is the major drawback to using algaecides. Compounding this cyclical problem, the decaying algae feeds a more difficult to control aquatic weed, cyanobacteria.
Cyanobacteria are commonly known as blue-green algae. It is a primitive life form similar to algae and bacteria. Like filamentous algae, it usually starts growing on the pond bottom and eventually floats to the surface after becoming buoyant from gases it produces. Cyanobacteria often appear to be filamentous algae, however it takes many colors or forms. Cyanobacteria differ from true algae in several ways.
- It is typically more difficult to eradicate chemically. Some forms of cyanobacteria such as Lyngbya have a nearly impenetrable covering.
- Many forms of cyanobacteria release toxins as they die which can lead to fish kills, strong unpleasant odors, unsightly films, and if ingested, potentially death. Dogs swimming in water with cyanobacteria have been known to die from ingesting cyanobacteria.
- Controlling cyanobacteria is challenging. The best method of control is prevention of the environmental conditions it prefers. Clear, stagnant, shallow, warm water with high phosphates are environmental conditions in which cyanobateria thrives. Unfortunately, these conditions are common in Florida stormwater retention ponds.
Countermeasures such as aeration systems, pond dye, dredging, and flocculation have been implemented successfully to prevent the outbreak of cyanobacteria.
- Aeration systems using compressed air with submersed diffusers are frequently effective.
- Pond dye shades the pond bottom significantly slowing the growth of cyanobacteria.
- Dredging is very effective but expensive.
- Flocculation is a chemical process using aluminum sulfate or bentonite clay to ionically bond to the excess phosphorus in the water. Flocculation has proven to be the most effective and affordable method for treating cyanobacteria.
LAPR provides aeration system installation, pond dye application, and flocculation applications.