Mechanical Weed Harvesting
Lakeville Lake has been cutting and removing weeds for over thirty years. The program is intended to improve the navigation in the lake and benefit everyone's use of the lake in general. The harvesting equipment can cut weeds up to four feet below the lake surface to aid boat operation but is limited to areas with at least three feet of water depth. Unfortunately there are areas in the lake that cannot be accessed by the harvesting equipment. The harvesting equipment cannot dredge or remove silt and other bio mass from the lake.
Most of our equipment was purchased in the mid-eighties and is now over thirty years old. A major rebuild is was undertaken in 2018.
If you have weed related issues please call Bob Rogers (810-560-9077) or Joe Donato (586-634-4201) and your concerns will be reviewed for appropriate action. Referencing the numbers on the map below will help identify your area on the lake.
Do not stop the harvester operator - it is not safe and interferes with his/her directed work.
In 2004, invasive Eurasian Milfoil had grown so thick it was hampering navigation. Although consultants advised that mechanical harvesting could contribute to milfoil growth as cuttings are dropped to the lake bottom and re-root as new plants, the harvester collects over 90 % of what it cuts. If the weeds are left to grow, boat propellers cut the weeds and all the cuttings are left behind. A program of herbicide treatments was initiated in 2006 in conjunction with the mechanical harvesting program. The herbicide treatments for Lakeville Lake are permitted through the Michigan EGLE (DEQ/DNR) to target invasive species only.
Herbicide weed control
INVASIVE PLANT IDENTIFICATION
The Michigan Lakes and Streams Association's Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CMLP) has established a program where individuals can send photos of aquatic plants directly to them via a smart phone application. Individuals spotting a new or unfamiliar plant are asked to sent a photo through the app where it will automatically be entered into the MLSA Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch program. The program is intended to identify new plant introduction in Michigan lakes and allow advanced reaction and control. The link to the free app follows along with a link to a video explaining the program.
http://www.misin.msu.edu/apps/#about
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i7IvA7gK-I
The Michigan Lakes and Streams Association's Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CMLP) has established a program where individuals can send photos of aquatic plants directly to them via a smart phone application. Individuals spotting a new or unfamiliar plant are asked to sent a photo through the app where it will automatically be entered into the MLSA Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch program. The program is intended to identify new plant introduction in Michigan lakes and allow advanced reaction and control. The link to the free app follows along with a link to a video explaining the program.
http://www.misin.msu.edu/apps/#about
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i7IvA7gK-I
| lakeville_lake_2019_year_end_report.pdf |