DASH Boat Effective in Controlling EWM
The Diver Assisted Suction Harvester (DASH) Boat, which was purchased by the HLF in 2012, operates each summer on Higgins Lake to remove invasive Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM).
Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) is the extraction of plants using a diver, suction tube, a unique set of pumps mounted on a boat and a bagging or filtration system. Suction harvesting is a viable means of plant suppression because the entire plant is removed in its connective rooting system.
The HLF DASH boat is operated by a four-member crew, two deck hands and two divers. Last year over 300 “onion” bags (100 lb. capacity/bag) of Eurasian Water Milfoil were removed from Higgins Lake. This method of removal requires no chemical applications to destroy the weed and has replaced the use of chemicals in the boat channels at the North State Park and the DNR West Launch site.
Funding of the DASH boat is a significant but essential expenditure for the Higgins Lake Foundation, and we thank our many generous donors whose contributions make this project possible. For more info on EWM…
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