Three Facts About Aquatic Vegetation Removal You Should Know Before Spraying!
By Savannah Sayan
From our neighborhood retention ponds to our big beautiful lakes and rivers, Florida has the responsibility to maintain the health of all her waterways. Invasive plants plague our ponds, rivers, and other aquatic channels to an overwhelming extent that cannot be ignored any longer. How can we do our part to maintain waterway health and remove this invasive vegetation? Before you schedule a company to spray your waterway with chemicals, make sure you consider the following facts.
Fact #1: Invasive vegetation comes in many forms, all with special removal methods.
Since there are so many different types of lake weeds that can be found in a waterway at one time, it takes an experienced professional to determine the most effective removal method for all. L.E.W. Inc. has years of experience solving aquatic vegetation challenges. Many decide to just spray invasive vegetation with chemicals and call it a day, but this is a short-sited solution for an issue that will only magnify over time. L.E.W. Inc. can identify what type of vegetation is overtaking the waterway, then develop a strategy for long-term removal. This may Include specific spray compounds and mechanical weed removal either separate or in tandem. With specialized machinery like the Marshmaster for impossible to reach wetland mowing and spraying, truck spraying for miles of ditch maintenance, air boat sprayer, and long reach excavators for complete pond overhaul, L.E.W. can handle projects big and small. These machines yield a safe and effective solution for removing the problem and restoring that body of water.
Fact #2: Chemical spraying to remove aquatic vegetation isn’t the “Root” of the problem.
Routine chemical sprays are one option for overgrown aquatic vegetation. When sprayed, effected vegetation will die, sink, and then decay. This mass decay can cause a spike in the waterway’s nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia levels. These spiking component levels in the water can jeopardize the life of fish and other organisms that call your waterway home. When minimal chemical spraying is partnered with mechanical removal of plants and decaying vegetation, these drastic level spikes can be avoided leaving a more livable ecosystem for your waterway’s organisms. If local waterways have been undergoing routine chemical sprays with no removal of decaying vegetation, dredging is highly advised for that waterway to remove decayed waste accumulated on the bottom of that body of water. Once the body of water is cleaned properly, adding a light spray plan is the best defense keeping lake and pond weeds under control.
Fact #3: Poor health in one body of water will affect all surrounding waterways.
Retention ponds, lakes, and waterways are beautiful natural resources that have practical purposes as well. Many bodies of water are designed to flow into each other for waterway health, drainage, and flood prevention. The negative health of one body of water can adversely affect another. Whether it be through artificial or natural drainage, toxins such as runoff of lawns treated with fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides contaminate water and can easily contaminate another waterway, eventually causing the health of your local lagoons and rivers to decline. Adding overgrown and or decaying aquatic vegetation to the mix exasperates the existing problem. The health of one waterway is an issue that effects the local ecosystems that may be connected to that body of water. Neglecting the health of smaller waterways only causes larger environmental issues that become more overwhelming over time. Awareness and action steps will help communities maintain healthier retention ponds, lakes and waterways.
We at L.E.W. Inc. strive to share our years of knowledge in order to maintain environmental health and the safety of Florida waterways. Give us a call at 321-508-3574. We are passionate about working with communities to achieve waterway health. Ask about our affordable lake maintenance plans for ongoing lake and pond beautification and health.
