Frequently Asked Questions

We will put the spoils from the job at a pre-approved location to be removed or used by the customer. 

Aquatic vegetation has been used as fertilizer and mulch throughout history.  With a little common sense this by-product of cleaning the lake can be turned into a resource.

Yes, we can. We have several different strategies to remove the spoils which will depend on the location and access. The removal of spoils can be added into the cost of the job.

Sterling Aquatic strives to be as environmentally friendly as possible. If the spoils are to be removed from the site we will strive to make arrangements to have them brought to organic farms or sites that will compost them and reuse them.

Because each location differs greatly from the other we generally start as an hourly service. After a period of time we will be able to give a much more precise answer. As a rule of thumb, we are able to remove vegetation at a rate of up to 1200 pounds a minute

The answer is "it depends".  It depends on what work we are doing, what water body we are working on, if there are endangered species present and many other factors.

Sterling Aquatic will research, apply and obtain all permits required to complete the work. The permitting cost is rolled into the cost of operation.

Yes! Compared to aquatic herbicides there is a distinct advantage to mechanical harvesting. First, we remove the vegetation from the water. When herbicides are used the vegetation dies and decomposes in the water removing oxygen, adding nitrogen and creating more sediment. Not to mention when chemicals are added to the water they are difficult to keep localized and may persist for a long period of time, restricting the use of the water. The CT DEEP has recommended 20 to 40% of vegetation to be left to promote a healthy ecosystem. Sterling Aquatic makes every effort to comply with this suggestion in order to promote the healthiest ecosystem in the areas we work.

Yes and no. The growth rate varies from area to area, and even season to season due to depth, sunlight saturation, water temperature, type of vegetation etc.  Depending on conditions, we attempt to remove the whole plant including the roots first. There are some species that make this task easier than others. After removal of the entire plant has taken place, we will cut off and remove the remaining vegetation.