Aquatic Weed Cutting and Removal
Aquaclear Water Management are specialists in the cutting, removal and control of all aquatic and marginal plant species in the UK
It is common for watercourses such as lakes, ponds and canals to become congested with excessive plant growth and be disrupted by invasive plant species.
The problems presented by this excessive growth
can range from the superficial i.e. spoiling the appearance of the watercourse, to more serious issues such as the suppression of native plants and wildlife, disruption of boats and
fishing, reduction of water flow and an increased risk of flooding
Aquatic Weed Control
Water management officials agree that regular removal of aquatic weed is the most effective method available to reduce plant growth without damaging the environment.
Our Truxor machines are ideal for harvesting aquatic plants and phragmites as they can be fitted with a number of tools to cut surface and sub-marine plant life to a depth of almost 2 meters
and lift the arisings out and onto nearby banks to mitigate future growth
Where do we work?
We at Aquaclear have extensive experience in this field and over time have worked in a wide range of environments large and small,
across the whole of the UK
These include:
SSSI Sites
Public and Private Lakes and Ponds
Canals, Rivers and Marinas
Nature Reserves
Fisheries
Reservoirs
Golf Courses
Leisure Parks
...along with many others
The lightweight construction of the
Truxor Amphibious Harvester allows access to sensitive areas which heavier conventional machinery cannot reach.
This makes the Truxor the ideal choice for work on more sensitive environments.
For a look at a selection of our previous clients and their testimonies, head over to our Clients page
Site Specific
SSSI and Heritage Sites
We understand that many sites will have their own set of sensitivies and requirements in the form of endangered plants and wildlife, as well as old structures and buildings
Over the years we've worked on many of these sites such as SSSI canal stretches and castle moats. We are well versed in the care needed when carrying out necessary works on
sites that contain protected species and listed buildings
Site Specific
Fisheries
Excessive weed growth at fisheries can cause many problems, ranging from a hinderance to fishing, to causing lines to become tangled and lost, possibly even resulting in fish kill
Our machines can clear all or part of the watercourse, or cut swims and clear pegs while avoiding feature plants such as lilies
Site Specific
Canals and Rivers
Many canals and rivers in the UK need regular weed cutting to help keep both boats and water moving, while maintaining a healthy balance of plants and wildlife
We at Aquaclear have over 15 years of experience working with local and national trusts cutting and clearing canals in England, Scotland and Wales
Site Specific
Public/Private Lakes
Many lakes are used for activities such as fishing, swimming or boating where weed growth can prove to be a annual hinderance
Other lakes are just pretty features to be enjoyed privately or by the public, where weed growth can be unsightly or endanger the loss of the watercourse altogether. We can
tailor our work to be functional, aesthetic or even both
Site Specific
Ponds
Ponds come in all shapes and sizes, public or private
Over the years we've worked on many public and back garden ponds that benefit hugely from being cleared out and tidied up. We pride ourselves of leaving the watercourse looking
clean and tidy when finished
Site Specific
Marinas
Excessive weed growth in Marinas can hamper boat movement and even render some bays unusable
The agility of the Truxor and it's precision cutters allow us to work within small margins, while avoiding sensitive equipment like boats and bay walkways
Site Specific
Sailing Clubs/Leisure Lakes
In the summer months, excessive weed growth can be bad news for businesses that rely on having clear, open water to boat on
Such businesses may be looking for a short term solution such as a boating track or a small area to be cleared of weed. Or perhaps larger works such as the cutting and clearance of an
entire watercourse. Whatever the need, we have the equipment and expertise to help
Site Specific
Golf Courses
As sites go, there are none more sensitive in terms of surrounding area than golf courses
Truxor machines are semi aquatic meaning they can walk themselves to the water course and climb in the water without the need for heavy machinery to ferry it to the water.
The lightweight construction of the Truxor means that little to no damage is done to the grass when travelling in straight lines
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Why is Weed Cutting and Clearance Important?
With temperatures rising, aquatic weed is on the rise too, meaning lake weed cutting and clearance is a growing industry.
Excessive weed growth is not just unsightly, it can also pose the following problems:
Marginal plants such as bur-reed and bullrush can clog inlets and outflows, hampering water movement to and from the watercourse, drying out the watercourse or increasing the
risk of flooding
As with plantlife on land, aquatic plants respire at night, 'breathing' oxygen and releasing CO2, meaning excessive plant growth in your water course can result in large volumes
of oxygen being pulled out of the habitat. These plants will also decompose when they have completed their life cycle, pulling more oxygen out of the water. Fish kill occurs when
oxygen levels in water reach a critical point and in extreme cases can cause mass die-offs
Invasive species such as the Elodia family can quickly out-compete native species and within only a few years can take over an entire watercourse, bringing loss of biodiversity
and filling the watercourse with weed in the warmer months
Species Specific
Click below to see how we deal with specific plant species
Root & Rhizome Removal
Some species such as Lilies and Reeds grow vast, complex root systems or 'rhizomes' under the water surface. While these species can be cut and cleared away on a year
to year basis to ensure the habitat is kept in a healthy balance, it may sometimes be necessary to remove the root matter altogether.
In extreme cases, some ponds can become choked from excessive Lily growth that gets worse every year, or reed banks can encroach into the water course,
threatening the loss of the watercourse in it's entirety.
In such cases, it may be necessary to remove some of the root matter to provide a more permanent solution. At Aquaclear, we make use of
grip rakes and grab buckets to do just that,
depositing any matter on nearby banks (or other more convenient places if required).
Aquatic Weed Identification Guide
If you are struggling to identify which species of aquatic weed is the problem in your own watercourse, you can head over to our
Aquatic Weed Guide
to view some of the most common species that we come across in UK waters.
The guide will give you pictures along with notes on species identification and description
This guide can also give you a good idea of how serious your weed problem may be, along with the appropriate steps that need to be taken in order to rectify it.
Examples of previous works
To see more examples of our lake and pond clearance and reed cutting operations, please visit our
Before and After Gallery
or head over to our
Twitter or
Facebook pages, which are constantly updated with recent images of our work
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 aquatic weed, wish to arrange a visit, or have any additional queries please Contact Us
