Harvesting Operations - keysweedsmanagement.org

Harvesting Operations

TKPOA Water Quality Website

TKPOA Harvesting Program

Harvesting is the primary control method available to the Tahoe Keys today. In 1984, roughly 100 cubic yards were removed from the lagoons and nearly 10,000 cubic yards were removed in 2020..Water Quality operations cost around $600,000 a year but the TKPOA is clearly losing ground with these mechanical harvesting methods alone.

Harvesting Services

Harvesting
Throughout the summer months the TKPOA operates harvesters that remove vegetation from designated sections.
July-August harvesters focus on navigation lanes so boaters can travel through the lagoons.
During the last few weeks of the harvesting season harvesters focus on removing as much vegetation as possible by harvesting the entire section between homeowner docks. This helps to reduce available nutrients and may possibly help reduce vegetation growth the following season.
Pile Pickup
Homeowners can help assist in fragment control by skimming around their docks and stacking the weeds on the end of their docks.
Skimmer crews will come by and pick up the piles from your docks twice a week so they can be disposed of properly.

Harvesting Zones

Stay up to date with the harvesting schedule and information below!

TKPOA Harvesting Equipment

The TKPOA Operates three Harvesters throughout the summer. Two harvesters continuously operate in the West Lagoon and one moves from Lake Tallac to the East Lagoon. The TKPOA also operates skimming equipment such as the Weedoo Tiger Cat and Aqua Harvester along with skimmer boats to collect weed fragment throughout the Lagoons.

Harvester 3

This harvester can collect 16 cubic yards of biomass for each load. It is small enough to go in between docks and large enough to effectively clear navigation lanes.

Harvester 4

Harvester 4 is our largest harvester and can hold up to 37 cubic yards of weeds. Due to the size of this harvester it is difficult to go in between docks.

OmniCat

The Omnicat is a passive skimming pontoon with a collection device between the pontoons. This vessel was designed to skim navigation lanes to collect aquatic weed fragments. It is not able to collect fragments between individual docks due to its size.

Skimming Vessels

The TKPOA has five vessels used by the skimming crews. These are used for pile pick-ups and fragment collection.

See Open Positions at the TKPOA

Click the link below for a list of open positions

TKPOA Openings

Harvesting or Skimming Comments

TKPOA Staff will respond in a timely manner.

2020 Harvesting Operation OverviewClick below to view the 2020 monthly schedules and results!