Plant Management in Florida Waters
Shearing
Hand Cutting, Dragging Objects (i.e. Chains, Heavy Metal Weights, Etc.) Behind Boats
Cut or shear plants at sediment level and leav or collect by hand or machine.
Considerations
- Labor intensive
- Most suited for small areas i.e. ponds or shores or confined areas i.e. canals
- Applicable for submersed or emergent plants
- Collect plants after cutting
- To prevent jams
- Prevent fragments from re-colonizing elsewhere in the water body
- Need disposal site near control area to minimize costs
- Immediate results, especially in small areas
- May not be suitable in waters with numerous underwater obstructions (snags, rocks, pilings, etc.)
- Re-growth may be rapid if roots are not removed
- No water use restrictions
- May disturb sediments depending on size and weight of dragged apparatus
- Not selective
Examples of Feasible Control
- Various hand-thrown cutting blades and rakes are commercially available to shear and retrieve submersed and emergent plants in small areas (e.g. lakeshores and around boat docks)
- South Florida Water Management District dragged heavy steel frame along bottom of canals to shear hydrilla for retrieval and removal downstream