Weed Management in Water Reservoir

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Does anyone have suggestions on how to control weeds growing in large water reservoirs without using pesticides? Please share your experience and the technology you use for aquatic weed control.

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25 Answers

  1. If you seek a ​permanent ​solution for ​eradicating ​water hyacinth ​and ready to ​invest 6 months.​.. then ​here's a ​herbal solution.​ Its ancient ​Indian science. ​

    Eradication ​Of EICHORNIA (​Water Hyacinth) ​

    Most water ​bodies in India ​have been taken ​over by a plant ​species ​popularly ​called  ​ Water Hyacinth  (Eichornia ​crassipes). ​When not ​controlled, ​water hyacinth ​covers lakes ​and ponds ​entirely, with ​its environmental ​invasiveness. ​This chokes ​waterways, ​dramatically ​impacts water ​flow, blocks ​sunlight from ​reaching other ​aquatic plants, ​and starves the ​water of oxygen,​ often killing ​the fish, frogs,​ turtles and ​other aquatic ​animals. The ​plants also ​create a prime ​habitat for ​mosquitoes. ​This species ​has rapidly ​spread ​throughout ​inland and ​coastal ​freshwater bays,​ lakes, and ​marshes and are ​a major ​hindrance to ​navigation as ​well.. 

    PHYTOCIDE-90  is a neem oil-​based organic ​formulation ​that acts as a ​weedicide and ​herbicide. The ​active ​ingredient is ​Azadirachtin. ​It is food ​grade, non-​toxic and safe ​for humans, ​animals and ​regular plants ​while being ​tough on weeds ​and harmful ​herbs. It kills ​the plants not ​through ​toxicity but by ​absorbing ​chlorophyll in ​the leaves and ​stems. Without ​chlorophyll, ​the plants ​cannot ​manufacture ​their own food ​and as a result,​ the tend to ​wither and die. ​This makes ​PHYTOCIDE ​extremely safe ​for human ​beings and ​aquatic ​creatures like ​fishes, frogs, ​tadpoles, etc. ​The safety of ​this reagent ​places it in a ​class above ​conventional ​inorganic ​weedicides, ​which are ​normally ​corrosive and ​extremely ​harmful to ​humans and ​animal life. ​

      

    Video Link:  

    http://youtu.be/UQljVfnR-wI 

    ‎http://www.​ecohealth.in/​phytocide.​html 

  2. we have this issue at one of our water treatment plant intakes and it is quite frankly a very annoying thing so I understand your pain.  Fortunately our water level is barely deep enough for the following solution but it worked.  We made our intake a variable floating intake whereby the operators manually raise and lower the intake the depending on the weed height.  There are other options, but due to the small community in this situation we did not want to impact their rates so this was the cheapest option and that is what we went with.  We are also looking at installing some "Solar Bees" https://www.medoraco.com/ in the intake zone to keep the weeds and algae at bay.  We have not yet went ahead yet as we are also considering hiring a floating dredging machine to physically remove the weeds from the intake zone and the surrounding area.  Once the weeds are physically removed we would then apply Copper Sulfate (i.e. Bluestone) which is toxic to algae and helps to prevent weed growth and in combination with a Solar Bee to keep the area weed free.  I wish I had a better answer but I am trying to keep the cost low as possible for the community and am currently seeking out new technologies and solutions.

    2 Comments

    2. Hi Kurt, as already answered to Glenn, we ​have in ​cooperation ​with the TU ​Vienna, ​developed, ​succesfully ​tested and ​installed in ​various ​applications (​reference list ​available) a ​100% chemical ​free water ​purification ​and disinfection ​system. The ​system is ​certified by ​Austrian TUEV ​and approved ​for medical and ​clinical ​installations, ​too. The system ​is based on the ​mechanical ​destruction ​effect of air ​bubbles created ​by cavitation. ​Our system ​creates ​permanently ​nano air ​bubbles within ​open or closed ​water ​circulation ​systems. In ​contact with ​other surfaces, ​the nano ​bubbles implode.​ This implotion ​creates very ​high temperature ​and pressure - ​and destroyes ​all organic ​cell structures,​ such as ​microbes, ​bacteries (​legionella), ​algae, biofilm ​and weed. Once installed the system works permanently. Exisiting weed will be destroyed and need to be filtered out or mechanicly removed. But there will be no more new growth of weed. Please remind - you dont need any Chemicals now and in future! Installed systems are running now for more than 6 years without any problems. Our ​system is ​designed for ​multiple ​purposes. We ​are able to ​increase the ​natural O2 ​content (spring ​water 4 mg/ltr) ​up to 20 mg/ltr.​ We installed ​the system in ​hospitals, ​nursing homes, ​public swimming ​pools, cooling ​towers, ​diverese food ​processing ​applications, ​fish farms, ....​

      I would be ​glad to send ​you more ​detailed ​informations ​uppon request. ​

      Dipl. Ing. ​Gerhard Mangold,​ General ​Manager, SCC ​SkyLine ​Construction & ​Consulting, ​Platzgasse 3, ​89150 ​Laichingen, ​Germany, Mobil: ​0049 15221018371,​ Tel: 0049 7333 ​2025898, Mail: ​g.m.scceurope@gmail.com 

      1 Comment reply

  4. Hi Glenn, simplest way for smaller bodies of water is; 2 'rake' heads tied together attached to a long rope and drag them out. It has proved very effective. and good exercise! Biologically, Grass Carp are extremely effective, without the treat of population explosion or bottom feeding 'muddying' the water. Both methods require no chemical additives. My best,  Joseph

  6. Hi Glenn, we have in cooperation with the TU Vienna, developed, succesfully tested and installed in various applications (reference list available) a 100% chemical free water purification and disinfection system. The system is certified by Austrian TUEV and approved for medical and clinical installations, too. The system is based on the mechanical destruction effect of air bubbles created by cavitation. Our system creates permanently nano air bubbles within open or closed water circulation systems. In contact with other surfaces, the nano bubbles implode. This implotion creates very high temperature and pressure - and destroyes all organic cell structures, such as microbes, bacteries (legionella), algae, biofilm and weed. Our system is designed for multiple purposes. We are able to increase the natural O2 content (spring water 4 mg/ltr) up to 20 mg/ltr. We installed the system in hospitals, nursing homes, public swimming pools, cooling towers, diverese food processing applications, fish farms, ....

    I would be glad to send you more detailed informations uppon request.

    Dipl. Ing. Gerhard Mangold, General Manager, SCC SkyLine Construction & Consulting, Platzgasse 3, 89150 Laichingen, Germany, Mobil: 0049 15221018371, Tel: 0049 7333 2025898, Mail: g.m.scceurope@gmail.com

  7. Dear Glenn D. Oliver,

    There could be some considerations, if these ponds are 

    Lined or just earthen ponds?

    If lined, then with what, 

    Clay+Lime

    Any impermeable Geo-membrane is applied with properly lean concrete etc?

    Normally if you do not want to use any chemicals, you may need to work on any of the solutions by applying Impermeable Geo-Membranes and/or Lining of Clay+Lime with proper application.

     

    These are fresh water reservoir, must be lined/impermeable Geo-membrane application.

    Also at Inlet, certain amount of NaOCl to be dosed which could disinfect the water.

     

    To understand better, details of the reservoir, holding time etc. could be required.

  10. Steam weed control systems exist and some species growing in the water can be slashed and drowned.

  11. Hi Glenn,

    There is a very simple solution - just to apply hydrodynamic water treatment periodically! There are special tools for that purpose!

  12. Hi Glenn, i'll caveat my suggestions - I don't have direct experience with weed management in reservoirs! but I am experienced in how to benefit vegetation growth/reproduction with targeted water management. So some reverse logic:

    If you know the different species and their depth/temperature/light requirements this might highlight their weak points that you could exploit with targeted operations of the dam. ie making the water too deep or too shallow or fluctuating in an undesirable manner for the weeds. Seasonality of these operations could be important too as it may prevent the weeds from reproducing. this of course would need to be balanced with what is feasibly possible with your dam!

    hope that helps and best of luck with your problem

  14. I was part of a US Army Corps of Engineers research project in the mid-1970's that assessed the use of two herbicides to control water weed (Elodea and Egeria) and several species of pondweed Potamogeton).  We found that with the right herbicide application matched with the target species, with control, you can manage infestations effectively with no residual herbicides in potable water supply reservoirs.  Long term success depended on targeting both the vasculars and the algae bloom that would occur from ortho-PO4's released into the water column after chlorosis occurred post vascular weed control.  Since then I have had good results on various weed control (other species) using biologics (including aquatic insects), mechanical control, water level control and such.  In short, a number of effective weed control options exist, and effectiveness varies as a function of weed, water body geophysics, water chemistry, nutrient control within the watershed, etc.   Good luck!

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  16. Complete information about the water body and its water levels,etc. , size/ location, Temp, rainfall, wind velocities, R/H, etc. climatic conditions and weeds observed and their life cycle as is known is required with pictures. Then  only any meaningful suggestion/ solution can be thought off. If Weed problem is more or less of same nature, then, similar solutions can be attempted. However, one time mechanical intervention after all out treatment may be required !Should not rule out one time chemical treatment.

  17. We have developed and successfully tried out  a package system on a range of Water Bodies ( TSE, Brackish and Seawater) to control algae using on Aeration, Agitation and Mixing. You may like to contact with the details of the project on sarfraz@mahykhoory.com 

  18. hi glen-we in india in pune city are working on how to get rid of WATER HYCINTH which is choking our lakes & breeds mosquitoes in the area, & trying to  find some use for it. i dont know whether your weeds are water hycinth or some other species.

    awaiting your reply

    balbir singh-email   om.pune@yahoo.in

    1 Comment

    1. Hyacinth and Hydrilla can be mechanically harvested by floating reapers.  The weeds can be composted, fed to livestock, or used in an anaerobic system to produce energy and fertilizer.  This was a project on Lake Victoria.  Neal@newrangepower.com

  19. hi glen-we in india in pune city are working on how to get rid of WATER HYCINTH which is choking our lakes & breeds mosquitoes in the area, & trying to  find some use for it. i dont know whether your weeds are water hycinth or some other species.

    awaiting your reply

    balbir singh-email   om.pune@yahoo.in

  21. To control weeds growing in large water reservoir you need to control

    - water temperature - it can be over water exchange or over trees - shadow

    - nutrients in water - this can be controlled over use for regulated plant grow or over eutrophisation in selected parts and other water area is clean or.....  

    it depends at elevation, location,  inflows  water use and.....

    you can control one from nutrients and second is after than not used for weed - Redfield ratio.......

     

  22. Surface lining like stone pitching/ cementous coating above the HFL may help if you want to avoid Chemicals near water.

  24. Could you please show a picture of the reservoir's site or give more details about it...?

  25. Dear Mr. Oliver. What kind of water do you store in your reservoir? What is the purpose of that water tank?

    1 Comment

    1. Copper sulfate helps in reducing weeds