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CRANBURY: Town ridding lake of unwanted weeds through hydroraking

By Amy Batista, Special Writer
   CRANBURY — The town is using the hydroraking process to remove unwanted plants from selected portions of Brainerd Lake.
   ”I am excited about a project we are implementing next week to address the invasive weed issue in Brainerd Lake,” Township Committeeman Susan Goetz said.
   The project, conducted by the Princeton Hydro, LLC of Ringoes firm, is costing the town $8,100, according to Ms. Goetz.
   ”This is a necessary project that has been in the planning stage for some time,” said Mayor David Cook. “Like any natural asset to our town (the lake) requires maintenance. It looks like we got to it just in time. The east end of the lake is completely grown over which by next year would have moved west toward the dam.”
   Brainerd Lake covers approximately a 10 acre area. It is a relatively shallow man-made lake, which is fed by a stream on the eastern side of Route 130 and created by the dam on the western side, which encompasses Main Street. The lake has been experiencing a significant increase in sediment buildup but even more obvious, significant invasive weed growth over the last five to six years, according to Ms. Goetz.
   ”The lake is getting shallower with the double impact of the sediment buildup and the annual die-off of the seasonal vegetation,” Ms. Goetz said.
   A field survey conducted recently indicates that while the thickest vegetation growth is in the eastern portion of the lake near Route 130, along the northern shoreline adjacent to Village Park, and along Main Street, there are also sections of thick growth along the southern, Evans Drive side of the lake. The program will focus on the most heavily vegetated areas and is anticipated to control vegetation in at least half of the lake surface, according to Ms. Goetz
   ”The excessive growth of aquatic plants (weeds), both native and non-native invasives, is a problem that impacts most lakes and ponds in New Jersey,” said PrincetonHydro President Stephen Souza.
   ”While lakes and ponds need a balance of aquatic plants for a healthy environment, too many of these plants negatively impact recreational use and enjoyment. An effective means of controlling this weed growth is through the mechanical removal of the excess plant material, both living and decayed,” Mr. Souza.
   Mr. Souza’s firm won the bid for the five-day project earlier this year. Ms. Goetz said the committee had set aside $10,000 to address the problem.
   ”Last year two bids were received to address the problem, with recommendation for an herbicidal treatment with the add-on of a process to remove the dead vegetation but the issue was not addressed. This year, we secured a third bid from Princeton Hydro and have awarded them a contract,” Ms. Goetz said.
   Mr. Souza said that Princeton Hydro is New Jersey’s leading lake management company and this is in part due to the fact that they have a unique amphibious harvester that will be use this time accomplish the task of getting a large portion of the weeds out of the lake which was unsuccessful before by another company.
   ”Princeton Hydro, New Jersey’s leading lake management and restoration company, will be conducting a comprehensive weed harvesting and hydroraking project this coming week,” Mr. Souza said.
   ”The company will use its Truxor DM5000, a unique amphibious harvester, to accomplish the work. There are only three such machines in the U.S. The Truxor is equipped with various tools that cut, harvest and rake out the weed growth,” Mr. Souza said. “The hydrorake attachment is a large rake with heavy tines that pull up the plants from the bottom of the lake and roots all.
   Not only will the township work on addressing the issue of the weeds invading the lake but in turn they will turn the problem into a benefit for the town but using the material for soil supplement and nutrients for a local farmer in town.