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What kind of equipment do you use?
For most lakes and larger ponds we use boats specially equipped to
evenly disperse
liquid and/or granular products across the treatment area. For smaller
ponds
we use pressurized
backpack sprayers to disperse the products throughout the waterbody.
What will happen if I water my lawn with
recently treated water?
If you used treated water on your lawn the risk for damage is
minimal. The highest risk is to newly planted flowers, vegetable
gardens, and other delicate plants. If after
using treated water you see any damage (i.e. spotting, wilting,
browning), we recommend rinsing off the plants with water from your
house (garden
hose). Established turf grass is hardy, in 30 plus years
of treatment we have never seen a lawn, established trees, bushes, or
even established flowers significantly damaged by newly treated water.
Are any of these products harmful to
people or
wildlife?
The federal label for all aquatic pesticide products used in Michigan
currently have no
swimming restriction on them. Extensive testing indicates that a
swimmer will not come into contact long enough or at a dose large
enough to cause adverse affects. That means, according to the
federal label, one could enter the water just after a aquatic herbicide
was applied without adverse effect.
The yellow signs we post list a swimming
restriction of
24 hours. This is a MDEQ requirement. The true purpose of
the 24 hour swimming restriction is so that the newly applied herbicide
has enough contact time with the plant to be effective. Swimming
and other recreational activity tends to stir up lake bottom sediments
thus reducing herbicide effectiveness.
If you unknowingly enter a waterbody within 24
hours
of treatment, as an added safety measure, we recommend taking a warm
shower for 10 minutes, this
will insure any dermal
contact is neutralized.
Extensive studies have been done to insure that
the
products we use offer optimum safety. Please use this link
to learn more: http://www.btny.purdue.edu/aquatic/.
How often do you have to treat these water
bodies?
In most cases, we treat the water about four times a summer, May, June,
July, and August. Although every situation is different, we only treat
as
necessary.
Who monitors your company and are permits
required from any state agency?
We are licensed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. Permits are
issued through the Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). To find
out permit requirements please refer to the MDEQ
Web site.
Our work is monitored by both the Department of
Agriculture (MDA) and the Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).
How long does it take for the plants to be
controlled?
All herbicides tend to effect plants within different time frames. Some
herbicides can act within a few days, though these tend to effect the
stem and leaves meaning re-growth can occur within 6-8 weeks. Other
herbicides can take from 2 weeks to 10 weeks to have total effect. The
exchange for the longer effect time is longer control of the plant,
anywhere from a whole season, to multiple seasons of control.
How long will it take for these plants to
regrow?
The type of plant and the method of control determine how quickly plant
re-growth can be observed. Typically we plan on 1-2 weed treatment
cycles per season. Algae tends to grow before aquatic plants, so
multiple treatments may be required.
I've heard there are companies with
machines
that remove the weeds from your lake. What about this process?
The concept of cutting off the weeds and removing them from the lake so
they cannot decompose and add to the organic layer (muck layer) makes
the
idea of harvesting appealing. Although harvesting has it's place as a
plant management tool, the actual results of
harvesting are usually not what people anticipate. Here are some of the
issues:
When weeds are harvested and the machines are
unable to
gather all of the plant material it is possible that fragments that are
not collected can fall to the bottom and re-grow into even more weeds.
We have seen lakes with a small area of plant growth begin a harvesting
program and end up with their entire lake full of invasive plants
particularly Eurasian Water Milfoil.
When a harvester is in operation it is
indiscriminate in
what it harvests. This means the invasive weeds are harvested as well
as the native ones (fish and other invertebrates can also be caught up
in the harvester). With the proper use of herbicides we can be
selective in what we control. This is achieved by controlling dosage or
the products we use and using selective herbicides. We can control the
invasive weeds and foster the
re-growth of the native plants which are often crowded out by the
invasive weeds.
- Harvesting depth? Most harvesters are limited
to a
five foot depth. The weeds then re-grow.
- Docks and boats? Harvesters are large pieces of
equipment. They are very difficult to operate around docks and boats.
- Surface Algae? Harvesters can harvest weeds;
they
cannot harvest most species of surface algae.
The negative aspects of harvesting aside, harvesting is a useful tool
to remove plants that the MDEQ does not permit to be chemically
controlled particularly native plants such lilly pads. Presently
harvesting is un-regulated by the State.
Can I purchase the necessary chemicals and
treat
my pond or lake myself?
Yes you can. We sell products directly to consumers within the State of
Michigan. Please contact us via e-mail or phone and we can send you our
catalog. Our product catalog is a good resource for plant
identification, as well
as an
informational resource for plant control product information.
Please be
advised that a permit from the MDEQ is required before applying aquatic
herbicides to your lake or pond.
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