SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. (WRGB) – Just as people at home control weeds in their gardens to keep them looking nice, weed control is also a necessary measure on waterways such as the lakes in our area.

And it is done to protect the health of the lakes and maintain their beautiful appearance.

These orange “weed killers” play an important role in maintaining water quality in Saratoga Lake.

Cristina Connolly, administrator of the Saratoga Lake Protection and Improvement District, said, “Saratoga Lake is very fortunate to have weed harvesters and a lake district… That’s not the case with most lakes.”

They use the weed harvesters in combination with herbicides, with each agent helping in two different ways to prevent the spread of weeds in the lake.

“How does the role of weed harvesters in weed control differ from that of a herbicide?

“Good question… So herbicide treatments target that specific individual weed and leave the native weeds healthy while the weed harvesters cut the tops of the weed beds, creating pathways for deep water access.”

According to her, this two-pronged approach has proven successful in weed control here over the years.

Weed harvesters were first used on Saratoga Lake in 1986. So they’ve been in use to harvest weeds for nearly 40 years… and these machines aren’t just like regular boats. They cost nearly a million dollars.

Patrick Guilbult, weed harvester operator:

“It’s almost like driving a skid steer or bulldozer… When you want to turn in one direction, it’s like a U-turn, and you can turn the thing around on the spot if you want to.”

Perhaps most interesting of all is the question of what happens to the weeds after they are removed from the lake.

Cristina Connolly:

Yes, it’s a great cycle. Once the harvester goes up and dumps it on the conveyor belt, the truck takes it to nearby farms. We have a flower nursery, apple orchard and tree nursery that pick it up, and property owners request it for their own gardens, vegetable and flower gardens. So it’s actually used as fertilizer? …Yep

Who would have thought that weeds could also be used for good purposes!