Mowing Aquarena

[CenTexDivin]

I was out at Aquarena Springs earlier today and noticed a weird paddle wheeled vehicle out there and found out it was mowing the hydrilla under the surface of the water. Does this happen anywhere else or is a this just a unique lake lawn mower?

I also noticed that the water was a few degrees cooler than on Sunday. Someone told me that it was 71 deg year round. Could this have happened because of the "lawn mower" circulating the water?

 

[Guba]

I'm assuming the "lawn mower" was in the south end of the lake (somewhere near the floating walkway? As far as I know, the machine is specific to Aquarena. I've heard of something like it in some places, but not specifically for the harvesting of hydrilla and other non-indigenous plants.
As for the temp variance, I have no idea if the mowing had anything to do with it. There's a lot of surface area, and if the humidity is low, that will suck a lot of heat from a body of water through evaporation. I haven't a clue as to whether stirring the water has any effect.
Gotta love Aquarena and the San Marcos Springs...great vis!

 

[parrotheaddiver]

They will be quick to tell you that the "weed" as I call it is not Hydrilla....the whole river is clogged with it and several other plants the reason they want to preserve it is the "wild rice" that only grows there and the blind salamander...seems to me that little bugger was doing fine before all that growth was in there....it used to be a beautiful river and pretty deep but now it is so clogged up with "weeds" and runoff from construction and islands have formed in the river and really is not as nice as it used to be...IMO

yes they mow the "weeds" in spring lake from time to time so that it is just beneath the water so it still flows....and the recent rains have put a lot of runoff in the lake and that may be why it is cooler....

 

[cruiser]

What weed are they mowing? Plants that come to mind are the elodea, the broad leafed plants and the scratchy ones that feel like a pine tree. (I wish I knew their names but my underwater naturalist class out there was cancelled so I'm in the dark until the next class rolls around.) Aquarena is like diving in an aquarium to me--my favorite place.

 

[Guba]

The main channel is largely free of hydrilla now, thanks to the efforts of the folks on staff and a lot of volunteer divers. Elodea continues to be a problem, though it, too, is starting to become controlled. Coontail is prevalent, but I think that one's indigenous.
I love Aquarena, too. Was there about a month ago and can't wait to get back!

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

What weed are they mowing?

Most of what is out in the lake is Coonstail. The wild rice is in the actual San Marcos river below Spring lake. The water temperature is usually around 69 in the deeper parts of the lake.

 

[Ed Marshall]

I've seen those mowers on Lake Austin too, in the past.

 

[Foo]

Did a few dives there a couple of weeks ago, and the "mower" was in the training area. Kinda spooky looking contraption from underwater, wicked teeth on it. Later, during our SI, we observed Ian crank it up, and drive it from that area to the wetlands walkway area. I was glad I wasn't in the water at the time, it was really loud.

 

[CenTexDivin]

Yeah, Ian (I thought his name was Ethan) was out there working. A few of my buddies were joking that he's got a pretty cush job. Just needed a cupholder with a beer and a portable TV on that thing.

I wouldn't really want to be in the water around that thing. We hopped in after he was done and there were clippings all over. At least I did my part to clean up by letting it get tangled over everything I wore.

 

[DandyDon]

Does this happen anywhere else or is a this just a unique lake lawn mower?

Kings Bay north of Tampa at Crystal River has a big one that runs every day. The weed is why some manatee stay in the bay during the summer now, but a problem otherwise in many southern US waters.

When I trained at Aquarena, I was told that the Elephant Ear plant was a big problem there, too.