For lakefront homeowners, there's nothing more unsightly than an unkept lake. The overgrowth of weeds and floating muck isn’t only unattractive, it can be harmful to your lake's ecosystem and even produce a bad odor.
There are several ways to control aquatic weeds such as raking, cutting, and the use of chemicals. These methods can be costly and a hassle to perform regularly, which is why many lakefront homeowners choose to go for a benthic barrier.
What is a Benthic Barrier?
A benthic barrier, like the LakeMat from Goodbye to Muck, is a material designed to prevent sunlight from getting to the soil on the lake’s bottom. The lack of UV light kills any vegetation such as algae and seaweed that grows beneath the mat. The barrier, which resembles a blanket, is attached to a frame that covers the bottom of the lake. This frame is usually made out of wood or metal.
A benthic barrier is one of the easiest and effective methods of aquatic plant management. It’s easy to install meaning that homeowners can do it themselves. It also requires little-to-no maintenance and is one of the more natural methods of aquatic weed control.
Benefits of Using a Benthic Barries or LakeMat
Here are more reasons why lakefront homeowners should invest in a benthic barrier or a LakeMat:
Usability of Your Lake
What’s the point of having a waterfront property if the water isn’t usable?
It can be hard and even impossible to enjoy water activities such as swimming, fishing, and boating if your lake or pond is unmaintained. Nobody wants to swim around in muck and weeds, and fish and other fouls won’t want to live in it either.
If you choose to install a Benthic barrier in your lake or pond, you won’t have to worry about weeds or muck getting in the way of your water adventures. Benthic barriers are highly effective in removing unwanted aquatic plants, weeds, and muck by inhibiting photosynthesis.
We highly recommend Installing your benthic barrier in the off-season to guarantee the water will be ready just in time for the summer. Products like the LakeMat will ensure your shoreline is always clean, clear, and ready for you to enjoy.
Invasive Plants and Species
It's extremely important to maintain the plants growing around and within the lake. This includes being knowledgeable of which types of plants are appearing in your lake and learning how to identify them. Aquatic plants can either be submerged, emergent, or floating, once you can identify the plant, you can research which control method is best for removing this weed.
An overgrowth of Invasive aquatic plants can wreak havoc on your lake’s ecosystem, harming the other species that live within it and preventing you from using and enjoying the lake. Additionally, invasive species can be a significant threat to the lake’s biodiversity. They can become predators, competitors, parasites, or diseases to the native plants and animals in the water.
Easy and Chemical-Free Maintenance
Having a benthic barrier placed in your lake is much more efficient than other temporary methods such as raking, dredging, hand-picking, and the use of chemicals such as herbicides.
The use of herbicides in water has the potential to deplete oxygen levels quickly, which is what helps kill weeds, but this also comes with major fish kills. It’s important to check local and state regulations before using herbicides. In some cases, a permit is required for application.
Other methods of weed removal such as raking, dredging, and hand-picking are very labor-intensive, time-consuming, and are often only a temporary solution. Benthic barriers are relatively expensive and can be used for many years. They also require no
regular maintenance or power to run them.
Goodbye to Muck LakeMat
We specifically designed our LakeMats to keep your aquatic plants in control with minimal effort required from your end, allowing you to enjoy your lake as much as possible.
They are approved for most lakes - just tell the lake that you’re installing a “benthic barrier,” as that is what our LakeMats essentially are.
We offer our mats in a variety of sizes to accommodate ponds and lakes of all sizes. All you have to do is lay your mat exactly where you want to be weed-free, and that's it! Our mats are reusable and easy to clean, just remove them when you're ready and place them in another area of your choosing or leave it out to dry.
The geotextile used in our mats is gas permeable, which prevents oxygen depletion in the area covered by the mat. We also supply you with ports to allow trapped gas to escape from below the mat. Additionally, our LakeMats come with an aluminum steel frame to provide structure and ensure your mat stays in place.
The Best Time to Install
We recommend installing your LakeMat in winter or early spring when plants are in their off-season. This reduces the gas produced by rotting vegetation underneath, lowering the risk for other fish and species living in the water.
Shop LakeMats Today
Our all-natural and organic LakeMats are eco-friendly, cost-effective, and easy to install. Not only will you be happy, but the fish and animals living in your lake will be too! Visit Goodbye to Muck today and don’t let aquatic weeds get in the way of your many lake adventures to come.