Aquaclear Water Management
Tel: 07814 741491

Invasive Aquatic Weed Cutting, Removal and Control

We have 15 years of experience cutting, removing and controlling invasive aquatic plant species all over the UK

Invasive aquatic plant species are a rising problem in the UK, costing an estimated £1.7 billion to control. Many of such species are banned from sale in the UK and it is an offense to plant many of these species in the wild. However, many UK waterways are already infested with these plant species and require regular maintenance to keep them at bay

Canadian Pond Weed

The Problems Caused by Invasive Aquatic Plant Species

Unlike native species, it is much more common for invasive plants to grow excessively and out of balance with the waterway, with great masses of plant matter filling the watercourse throughout if left untreated

Invasive Aquatic Plants Can:

Outcompete Native Plant Species - Invasive plants, once established can quickly smother native plants and take over a watercourse, creating a monoculture of plantlife, upsetting the delicate balance of the watercourse, causing loss of biodiversity and posing a threat to endangered UK plant species

Remove Oxygen from the Water - As with other plants, invasive plants respire overnight, pulling oxygen out of the water and releasing CO2. Invasives can grow to excessive amounts, meaning large amounts of Oxygen can be removed from the watercourse. Fish kill occurs when oxygen levels drop to critical levels

Clog Waterways - Invasives can clog inlets, outlets, filters, water features, or even the watercourse in it's entireity. This increases the risk of flooding or conversely, negatively effects water levels, threatening the loss of wildlife or the watercourse altogether

Hamper Water Activites - Excessive weed growth can disrupt any movement on and in the water, hampering boat and watercraft movement, and clogging propellers. Fishing on lakes and ponds with invasive species can be next to impossible when dealing with dense patches of weed

Endanger Swimmers/Divers - Many invasive species grow in incredibly dense clusters, endangering anyone in the water that may become tangled in the weed

Elodea

Clearing Invasive Aquatic Weeds

When clearing Invasives we will:

Cut and clear as much of the plant as possible

Cut deep at the bottom of the plant to prevent fragmentation

Remove as much of the cut weed as possible to prevent spread and re-establishment

Properly clean and remove all parts of the plants from our machinery before moving to another site to prevent cross contamination

Leave cut weed on the bank and recommend it's left for up to 48 hours to allow for invertibrates to re-enter the watercourse before the weed is removed entirely

Reccomend ways for the client to keep on top of the issue after work is complete

Species Specific

Below are a few examples of Invasive Weeds that we come across and how we deal with them

Canadian Pond Weed, Nuttal's Waterweed and Curly Waterweed (Elodea Family)

Elodea

Cutting and removing Canadian Pond Weed and other members of the Elodia family makes up a large portion of our spring and summer work

Cutting Elodea

Many specialists recommend cutting these species early in the season to reduce growth in the warmer months, but it is our experience there is a good chance you may need a second cut in the warmer months to clear the watercourse again.

Generally, clients will opt for cutting and clearing this weed as it becomes a problem in the warmer months, later in the season, to decrease the risk of this weed coming back before the end of the summer

Floating Pennywort

Floating Pennywort

Many canals and waterways in the UK are infested with this invasive, with an estimated £23.5 million a year spent on combating the problem.

Removing Floating Pennywort

Over the years we have worked with many trusts and councils to help remove this species from UK waterways.

Typically, this plant grows out from the banks and margins and therefor can be cut off into 'floating mats' on the waters' surface, ready to be collected by our weed rakes and moved onto nearby banks to be left for invertibrates to return to the waterway. Following a short period on the bank, these arising would then be removed from the area altogether to stop recontamination

Crassula / New Zealand Pygmyweed / Australian Swamp Stonecrop

Crassula

A growing concern in UK waterways, Crassula grows all year round in the damp margins of the watercourse

Crassula Removal

Crassula grow short stems that when cut can cause the plant to spread further so simple cutting isn't an option with this weed

When working with environment agencies around the country, they generally recommend that we use our grab buckets to peel layers of this Invasive off the surface and move it to areas where it can be processed later

Water Fern or Fairy Fern

Water Fern

This weed is not particulary common in the UK but once established, comes with a whole host of issues of its own

Water Fern Removal

This weed can be peeled with our grab buckets or cut into 'large mats' that can then be removed by our rakes and placed on nearby banks, ready to be processed




Species Specific

Click below to see how we deal with other specific plant species or return to the main aquatic weed cutting page

Cutting Main Page
Bulrush and Burreed
Algae
Water Lilies






Contact Us

We are availble for a free on-site consultation to discuss any work you would like us to undertake

If you would like to discuss any issues you are currently having with Water Invasive Species or have any additional queries please Contact Us