The war against aquatic weeds

8.4.25

The war against aquatic weeds is real in spring and summer in the UK. We arm ourselves with our trusted Aqua Contractor Conver C480 workboats and head off north, south, east or west to do battle!

Looking out over any lake, canal, or fishery in spring and summer at a carpet of green when it should be clear-water blue is a code red. Aquatic weeds are an eyesore and a seasonal headache for many businesses and individuals. They thrive and spread like warm butter in spring and summer. That’s why if you’re a fishery, marina, holiday park owner, or you’re responsible for any waterway, village pond or ornamental lake where they take root and become a big old tangled mess, including your own wee garden pond, this blog is for you.

Healthy aquatic environments are what we're all about and yet these invasive species of water weed often have other ideas. They’re the neighbours from hell that prompt everybody else to get the blower to the estate agents and scram.

That’s why spring and summer are absolutely key when it comes to aquatic weed prevention and management and if you’ve been given a shot across the bow now in the guise of even a splurge of browny-green, even a suspicion of it, then it’s time to act by calling us in.

Hesitate or turn your back for even a few weeks, in the case of some of the more pernicious and invasive types, you could find yourself swamped by them. Then it’s a no-go area for swimmers, holiday makers, and the sound of clogged-up boat propellers!

Why are aquatic weeds so harmful?

Aquatic weeds aren’t just bad for business – they can be catastrophic for the environment and pose a serious overall menace.

Take duckweed. It can cover the water’s surface entirely, blocking sunlight and robbing oxygen from the water below, while Canadian pondweed grow and lurk more insidiously underwater in thick mats that choke up boat propellers, fishing lines, and can be all-out hostile to wildlife.

That’s why it’s so important aquatic weeks aren’t left unchecked. Otherwise they can:

Send water oxygen levels plummeting

Lay waste to fish and insects

Choke waterways and cause navigation chaos

Harm biodiversity by stamping out native plants

Frustrate or even completely eradicate angling and water sports

Stop the weeds in spring before they start

That’s why preventative measures are often the best cure. Spring is your best chance to go on the offensive and stop water weeds from gaining any kind of foothold as things are only likely to worsen when summer comes to town.

Aquatic weeds typically begin to start becoming horribly prolific from April onwards, when water temperatures rise and daylight start stretching their legs and planting their roots.

What can we do for you in spring?

Spring is oftentimes about prevention.

Survey the problem

We can do an early survey to identify how extensive the weeds are and identify which species are present and where the growth starts and where things are likely to become problem areas in high summer.

Sediment management

Aquatic weeds love the lap of luxury that is nutrient-rich sediment. If your pond or lake has a build-up of decaying leaves, fish waste, runoff from fields or any other organic matter, it’s basically a free-for-all for weed growth. That’s why dredging and employing sediment removal in early spring, before the wildlife nesting season, can help starve weeds of the nutrients they need.

What can we do for you in summer?

Summer is about control because weeds are speedy in growth and can double in size in the blink of an eye. That’s why you must remain hyper vigilant.

Mechanical removal

Our professional weed cutting boats are amphibious beasts with a variety of tools and attachments that we can employ depending on the scale of the problem.

Mechanical control is the most immediate way to clear space and prevent further spread. Cutting before flowering or fragmentation helps prevent weeds from spreading downstream or re-rooting.

Why prevention beats cure

Once aquatic weeds take over, removing them becomes a lot more labour-intensive, expensive, and disruptive to wildlife. That’s why ongoing maintenance and monitoring through spring and summer is the smartest strategy.

Tailoring our approach

We know every site is different, and that optimal weed management plan for a golf course won’t be carbon copy for a fishery. That’s why we take into account water flow and depth, wildlife and conservation factors, primary uses of the waterway, invasive species and the risks they may pose, as well as any historical aquatic weed hangovers.

Our professional aquatic management services offer tailored plans based on all of the above.

What next?

If you’re responsible for a water body spring is your signal to mobilise, and fast. Aquatic weeds don’t take time off, and the warmer the year, the worse the problem can be. A good defence isn’t just the best offence n the war against aquatic weeds is often your best shot at winning in the war against aquatic weeds.