The New Lake Bottom Blanket is a Low Cost Solution to the aquatic weed problem that has long frustrated lake front property owners. This Aquatic Weed Control System for the do-it-yourselfer is friendly to both the environment and the pocket book. No chemicals, no expensive machinery, and can be installed by one or two people! Ideal for swimming and docking areas and even will stop weed growth in irrigation ditches!

weed wars

deskuzzerWhile the Lake Bottom Blanket will clear your waterfront of weeds growing from the bottom, the newly invented Deskuzzer will take care of the surface growing weeds, algae and debris floating on top.  (click here for more info)

Why is aquatic weed control necessary?

Adapted from North Central Regional Extension Publication No. 241, Carole A. Lembi, Aquatic Weed Specialist, Purdue University and Aquatic Pest Control, University of California Leaflet 2961

Plants are natural and important components of the aquatic environment. Microscopic plants (algae) form the base of the aquatic food chain. Larger algae and plants provide habitat for fish and food organisms, and all plants produce oxygen as they photosynthesize during the daylight hours. However, excessive growths of these plants can have a detrimental effect on a body of water and its inhabitants. Many shallow, nutrient-rich ponds, lakes, and drainage ditches provide ideal conditions for abundant aquatic weed growth.

Some of the problems caused by aquatic weeds are as follows:

  • Interfere with or prohibit recreational activities such as swimming, fishing, and boating.
  • Detract from the aesthetic appeal of a body of water.
  • Stunt or interfere with a balanced fish population.
  • Fish kills due to removal of too much oxygen from the water. Oxygen depletion occurs when plants die and decompose. Photosynthetic production of oxygen ceases, and the bacteria, which break down the plant material, use oxygen in their own respiration. Fish kills in summer are frequently caused by die-offs of algae blooms. Decomposition of plants that died in the fall causes further oxygen depletion and Fish kills.
  • Produce quiet water areas that are ideal for mosquito breeding.
  • Certain algae can give water bad tastes and odors.
  • Impede water flow in drainage ditches, irrigation canals, and culverts, causing water to back up.
  • Deposition of weeds, sediment, and debris, can cause bodies of water to fill in, creating swamps and eventually great farmland