The jaunty, green flat-bottomed boat that’s been patrolling back and forth on the lake with black silt in its maw is a hydro-rake.
The Lake Shawnee Association brought in the hydro-rake to try to clear out the loads of decayed vegetation and silt that’s filling in some areas of the lake with frightening speed.
"Since we never did this before, we need to see how it works out and assess our needs for the future," association President Eric Wilsusen said.
The hydro-rake uses a eight-foot wide "jaw" attached to a backhoe-like arm to bite into the lake bottom to scoop out "mouthfuls" of decayed weeds and leaves, living waterweeds and other organic material, to deposit into a dump truck waiting on the shore.
The machine also is equipped with a pair of high-speed paddle wheels that move the hydro-rake through the water, and also churn up the lake bottom to loosen the accumulated debris.
The process is slow because the hydro-rake pilot must return to the truck with each successive "mouthful" of the material it removes. One spectator likened the process to using a demitasse spoon to bail out the bilge of a ship.
Worried about several sections of the lake that have been growing more and more shallow, last spring the Lake Shawnee Association hired Allied Biological of Hackettstown to survey the lake to determine which areas might benefit from hydro-raking.
"The prime location is North End, which should take two days," Wilsusen explained.
The hydro-rake also is going to be used on two other areas, including Beaver Cove, adding another four days of work. The total costs of the operation will range from $10,000 to $15,000.
Wilsusen said that the association has been saving its capital reserves for several years for the work.
Dredging is exponentially more expensive than hydro-raking and the state requires a series of permits, he explained.
The hydro-rakes are especially beneficial in clearing small areas around docks, ramps, channels, and swimming areas, Allied Biological literature says. The machine also can help deepen shallow areas and can be equipped with a solid bucket with drains for dredging operations.
The jaunty, green flat-bottomed boat that’s been patrolling back and forth on the lake with black silt in its maw is a hydro-rake.
The Lake Shawnee Association brought in the hydro-rake to try to clear out the loads of decayed vegetation and silt that’s filling in some areas of the lake with frightening speed.
"Since we never did this before, we need to see how it works out and assess our needs for the future," association President Eric Wilsusen said.
The hydro-rake uses a eight-foot wide "jaw" attached to a backhoe-like arm to bite into the lake bottom to scoop out "mouthfuls" of decayed weeds and leaves, living waterweeds and other organic material, to deposit into a dump truck waiting on the shore.
The machine also is equipped with a pair of high-speed paddle wheels that move the hydro-rake through the water, and also churn up the lake bottom to loosen the accumulated debris.
The process is slow because the hydro-rake pilot must return to the truck with each successive "mouthful" of the material it removes. One spectator likened the process to using a demitasse spoon to bail out the bilge of a ship.
Worried about several sections of the lake that have been growing more and more shallow, last spring the Lake Shawnee Association hired Allied Biological of Hackettstown to survey the lake to determine which areas might benefit from hydro-raking.
"The prime location is North End, which should take two days," Wilsusen explained.
The hydro-rake also is going to be used on two other areas, including Beaver Cove, adding another four days of work. The total costs of the operation will range from $10,000 to $15,000.
Wilsusen said that the association has been saving its capital reserves for several years for the work.
Dredging is exponentially more expensive than hydro-raking and the state requires a series of permits, he explained.
The hydro-rakes are especially beneficial in clearing small areas around docks, ramps, channels, and swimming areas, Allied Biological literature says. The machine also can help deepen shallow areas and can be equipped with a solid bucket with drains for dredging operations.
