Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting
Suction Harvesting is a process of Lake Weed Removal during which a diver visually identifies the plant being targeted, removes it by the root system, and deposits it into a containment bag at the surface via a suction hose, allowing for bulk removal.
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The advantages of mechanical harvesting facilitated by a diver are that specific plants can be chosen for removal, significantly reducing the risk of the unintentional destruction of protected or endangered species, as well as limiting the amount of native species removed. By removing the invasive or nuisance species that is causing the problem, the capability of native plants to repopulate the areas that they have been pushed out of increases, giving the system a chance to return to it’s natural balance.
The extraction of each plant by its root system is equally as important as it permanently eliminates that plant, rather than cutting its stem which only slows its growth temporarily. Harvesting the weeds using a suction method also creates a system by which the material can be removed in large volumes, increasing efficiency in both removal and disposal.
