If herbicide control is not suitable for you, harvesting offers many benefits. The removal of plant material reduces the available nutrients in the water left over after decomposition. Without decomposition, your waterbody also may see increased levels of dissolved oxygen. Additionally, harvesting allows for no or less herbicide use, which means no water use restrictions. It’s also a great alternative in areas of a water body where herbicides may not be permitted.

Frequently, harvesting alone may not be the answer. Harvesting on certain water bodies could lead to more issues. Many invasive plants spread quickly throughout a water body through fragmentation or dispersal of seeds. Harvesters can not remove every fragment or seed from a water body, and this often leads to the spread of invasive species. Additionally, harvesting is not a systemic solution, and regrowth is inevitable. To eliminate invasive species, systemic or aggressive herbicide control is the only answer. Plants such as Eurasian Milfoil and Starry Stonewort can not be effectively controlled through harvesting alone. Other drawbacks of harvesting are the issues of rapid regrowth, limited access, and disposal of materials. Harvesting equipment can only reach certain depths of a water body, meaning your beachfront may not receive any control at all, and if it does, regrowth could be rapid. When materials are removed from your lake, they must be disposed of. This can sometimes be costly.

If conditions are right, harvesting alone could be right for your lake. However, a combination of harvesting and herbicide use is often a better answer than harvesting alone. If eliminating herbicide use is a part of your lake’s long-term goals, we will work with you to make that happen.

Harvesters are not always lake experts or properly equipped. If you already have harvesting services and need professional assistance to ensure results, LakePro also offers harvesting management services. We can independently survey, plan, and inspect harvests to ensure results.