Control Aquatic Vegetation and Prolong Dredging with Hydro-raking
Over time, lakes and ponds continuously collect runoff containing suspended sediment and nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. As these nutrients spread throughout the waterbody, water quality diminishes which often results in nuisance aquatic plants and buildup of sediment on the lake or pond bottom. Proactive lake and pond management is essential to helping keep your waterbody healthy, but there may come a time when other management techniques are required to remove accumulations of bottom sediment and unwanted aquatic vegetation.
Dredging is an effective solution for removing accumulated sediment from lakes and ponds but is often the largest single expenditure a lake or pond manager will face. To prolong or eliminate the need for dredging, hydro-raking may be an effective alternative. Hydro-raking (also known as mechanical raking) is an effective technique used for the selective removal of rooted plants and accumulated sediment. Eliminating these undesirable plants and sediment in your lake or pond can also improve water quality, reduce odor and enhance recreational use.
Dredging and hydro-raking both involve the physical removal of debris and sediment, however, each is used for varying reasons and outcomes. Dredging is heavily focused on the large-scale removal of both organic and inorganic sediment to restore pond depth. The hydro-rake, a floating backhoe equipped with a rake attachment, offers a more selective and holistic management approach to removing aquatic vegetation, associated root structures, and organic matter.
The Advantages of Hydro-raking Include:
- Works in sensitive shoreline areas that are typically inaccessible with conventional equipment.
- Offers an environmentally friendly management approach with no water use restrictions, since chemicals are not used.
- Acts as an economical alternative to traditional dredging.
- Aids in the removal of excess nutrients such as phosphorus or nitrogen, by removing sediment and vegetation.
- Minimizes stagnant water, decreasing potential breeding ground for mosquitoes.
- Helps preserve shoreline landscapes.
- Increases the overall water depth through the removal of large amounts of decaying organic matter, soft sediment and debris.
- Acts as an ecological alternative to traditional dredging, as the rake attachment allows aquatic organisms to escape.
It is important to remember that implementing proactive lake and pond management solutions is vital to helping keep your aquatic ecosystem healthy and balanced. But if your waterbody does become impaired with undesirable plant growth or accumulated sediment, hydro-raking can be an ideal and environmentally friendly management solution.
SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty and preserve natural resources.
SOLitude’s team of aquatic scientists specializes in the development and execution of customized lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management programs. Services include water quality testing and restoration, algae and aquatic weed control, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, shoreline erosion control, muck and sediment removal and invasive species management. SOLitude partners with homeowners associations, golf courses, private landowners, businesses and municipalities. SOLitude Lake Management is part of Rentokil, a leading business services company, operating across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
For more information, visit SOLitude Lake Management at solitudelakemanagement.com, and connect on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
