Chemical Weed Control VS Mechanical Harvesting.

When it comes to scientific management of a lakes aquatic weeds, sometimes chemicals are part of the problem and not the solution. We have found that a combination of chemical treatments and mechanical harvesting to be the most effective means to manage aquatic weeds and algae in Michigan lakes. The dreaded Starry Stonewort (invasive algae) thrives when you kill off the native and invasive weeds. Chemicals have little to no effect on it, then it thrives and spreads on the biomass created when existing weeds are eradicated. Starry Stonewort quickly spreads and literally fills in your lake from the bottom up. Ever pull up your anchor only to have it covered with a huge stinky mass of weed-like vegetation? That my friends is the enemy. The ONLY way to keep this algae at bay is to physically remove it from your lake. Oakland Harvesters specialize in starry stonewort removal among others. Our machinery and concepts will remove on average 2-4 times the amount of algae and weeds over the same time period vs. our competition. Invest your lake improvement monies where you achieve the maximum benefit.

As a 17 year lakefront homeowner I’ve watched as year by year we lose more and more navigable water as the Stonewort literally fills in our lake. Expect winterkills of your fish population, as the oxygen content of the water is greatly diminished with the vast amounts of rotting biomass on the bottom of your lake. Chemical “burning” or “haircuts” do little to nothing and have almost no effect despite what you may have been told.

As chemical treatments become more and more expensive, and lakefront homeowners are unhappy with the results of dumping deadly chemicals into the water where their families play. Mechanical harvesting is becoming more prevalent being safer, healthier and with greater results than chemicals alone. Cost analysis between the systems is similar, however with only chemical treatment you may be setting your lake up for a near irreversible future invasive takeover which will cost more long term as the invasives get a foothold in your waterways.

No matter if it’s an overgrowth of native aquatic weeds or invasive, the only real answer has become introducing some mechanical harvesting.  Don’t wait and lose your lake like so many already have.

Aquatic Weed Harvesting in Michigan