Aquatic Vegetation Control: Environmentally Sound, Effective Solutions
The efficiency and capacity of irrigation ditches and systems; holding and settling ponds; stocked ponds and lakes; open tanks; streams, creeks and slow-moving or meandering rivers can be severely affected by aquatic vegetation and algae. In particular, non-native and/or invasive species, aquatic plants and algae can destroy a habitat, reduce holding and flow capacity, de-aerate water, raise water temperature, and affect water quality. Aquatic plants and algae can also destroy the aesthetics of an aqueous system.
Through the use of safe, environmentally friendly chemicals that target specific species, it is possible to control or eradicate non-native and/or invasive varieties of aquatic plants and algae.
Depending on the geography of the surrounding land and the size of a water habitat/system, control of aquatic vegetation and algae is generally administered using one, or a combination, of four approaches. In addition to the geography of the area, the types of aquatic plants and algae can also determine what kind of chemical delivery vehicle is required.
How to Control Aquatic Vegetation Through the Safe Use of Chemicals
Access to an area and a vehicle’s ability to maneuver across different terrain — and through aquatic plant-infested waters — determines the vehicle used to apply EPA-approved chemicals. For irrigation ditches and systems and small-scale holding and settling ponds, chemical application is generally straightforward. Larger bodies of water and those overtaken by certain types of aquatic vegetation require different methods.
High Volume Spray Trucks
For smaller bodies of water and irrigation ditches and systems, spray trucks generally suffice. Ditch banks, shorelines, boat landings and piers are typically accompanied by sufficient access for a spray truck. If you have a problem with cattails, water hyacinth and duckweed, you probably have a situation a spray truck can manage.
Flat-Bottom Boats With Propeller Driven-Engines
Applying surface-variety herbicides with a flat-bottom boat is appropriate on bodies of water navigable without propeller interference from aquatic vegetation and algae. There are even surface-variety aquatic plants that do not impede propeller propulsion. Under such circumstances, a flat-bottom boat equipped with a spray gun broadcasts pellets or subsurface extrusion tubes, allowing for the targeting of aquatic vegetation and algae. Target pests for a flat-bottom boat operation include pondweed, coontail, hydrilla and watermilfoil.
Airboats
Appropriate on bodies of water where conventional propeller-driven craft are unable to navigate, airboat aquatic-vegetation control entails long, throw-type spray guns, booms and subsurface extrusion tubes. Target pests include giant salvinia, water hyacinth, alligator weed and water lettuce.
Log Skidder
Wetland areas that do not permit flat-bottom and airboats to maneuver because of land, mud and bog can be managed with a four-wheel drive skid steer or track skid steer. Spray booms, spray guns and RADIARC® sprayers are mounted on the skidder, along with tanks. Target pests commonly managed with a skid steer include willow trees, cattails, ceana bean trees and salt cedar.
Coastal Spray Company has over 20 years of aquatic vegetation control and chemical control maintenance experience. Coastal Spray Company’s employees are licensed applicators who use state-of-the-art equipment to control unwanted aquatic pests, as well as native and non-native invasive species. Coastal Spray Company can manage your aquatic plant and/or algea problems using whichever chemical delivery vehicle is required. We manage most bodies of water, such as irrigation ditches, ponds, waterways, bayous, rivers and lakes.
Monday, April 10, 2017
