Why is aquatic weed control necessary? Awareness is the first step to managing our waterways. We at Weedoo Greenboat are committed to increase public awareness as well as build better solutions for cleaner safer waterways.
Quoted 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. Fish kills in winter occur when snow accumulates on ice cover. Light is blocked thus preventing photosynthesis by any living plants or algae. Decomposition of plants that died in the fall causes further oxygen depletion. Fish kills also can be caused by insecticide runoff, ammonia runoff from feedlots, and diseases.
• 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.

So who are the culprits? About 1/3 of this matter occurs naturally. Decaying organisms, plants, animals and insects are examples of natural decay.
The problem is the other 2/3rds that have been created by man. Half of which is agricultural and half is urbanization and development. Man made fertilizers, fecal matter, dead plants, leaves, grass, and other cultivated vegetation all contribute to this agricultural overburdening due to run offs into our waterways.
Urbanizaton and development, more specifically septic systems, detergents, land run off, and sewage pollutions all create an overabundance of phosphates further contributing to the excess of aquatic vegetation.
This overabundance of phosphates results excess sludge, aquatic vegetation, and undigested matter that settles in our waterways. Aquatic decay multiplies each year.
The last resting place for this cosmic cocktail of toxic sludge is the settling bottom of our inland waterways.
Layers of this chemical base, nutrient rich, slimy mass referred to as sludge is a toxic nightmare.
Because we constantly repeat our chemical approach we are contaminating our water table which makes it unsafe for people, pets, sea life, and the environment.
All of these sources fuel problems that ultimately lead to unhealthy and undesirable waterways.


Weedoo Greenboat and its founders have been involved in Aquatic weed removal vessels, construction and design for more than 10 years.