Sediment Removal

Yuck! Muck! I have a summer camp on Lake Waukewan that has sediment on the lake bottom. I was interested in knowing of the best way to remove it. I want to use it as fertilizer in the garden. I have been somewhat successful scraping it off the bottom, but it is a messy operation. Any ideas??

[Sunrise Point]

This is going to open a can of worms....

I believe that you are supposed to leave it alone.

[SIKSUKR]

I'm pretty sure that's a no no.

[AC2717]

Originally Posted by DUSTY

Yuck! Muck! I have a summer camp on Lake Waukewan that has sediment on the lake bottom. I was interested in knowing of the best way to remove it. I want to use it as fertilizer in the garden. I have been somewhat successful scraping it off the bottom, but it is a messy operation. Any ideas??

What you meant to say was that you think you might be pretty successful if you scrape it off the bottom, but is there a better way to deal with this situation and do you think the EPA and the state would have a good solution to remove sediment that should not really be there due to unnatural conditions and it is hurting marine life in the area.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by DUSTY

Yuck! Muck! I have a summer camp on Lake Waukewan that has sediment on the lake bottom. I was interested in knowing of the best way to remove it. I want to use it as fertilizer in the garden. I have been somewhat successful scraping it off the bottom, but it is a messy operation. Any ideas??

I've noticed an increase in muck (and leeches) as my mile of abutters on my shoreline increasingly "go McMansion", and use Ice-Eaters. I started a similar quest at one of my three "little-frog-on-the-pond" waterfront locations.

It depends on what material the sediment is made of: mine is mostly vegetative in composition (brown, dead, + brown, dead algae).

I used a 3-inch diameter "trash" pump to move it through a screen on shore—then, a finer screen. Since the sediment "problem" moves with the waves, it's not likely you'll be improving your lakefront for very long.

The material doesn't seem to have any fertilizing qualities anyway, and worse, the sediment dried-out to disclose salt! (This is a rainwater-dependant Florida protected inland water—90 miles from the ocean—with the very-softest freshwater I've ever experienced).

If I were to do it on a full-time basis, I'd get one of those new (but old) windmill pumps, pump the sediment onto land, dry it, and use it as mulch—or, in Florida, burn it.

But you'll get little sympathy from NHDES, in the LFOD state!

[woodswalk]

Originally Posted by DUSTY

Yuck! Muck! I have a summer camp on Lake Waukewan that has sediment on the lake bottom. I was interested in knowing of the best way to remove it. I want to use it as fertilizer in the garden. I have been somewhat successful scraping it off the bottom, but it is a messy operation. Any ideas??

Did this once with what I thought would be garden gold that I collected from above where a dam let go. might have been that particular water body, but found the PH was off the chart and almost destroyed my garden-
Find some composted manure- there's plenty of that around not to mention legal.

[SAMIAM]

Is there sand under the muck?....if so I have a pretty good way of getting rid of it.

[Pepper]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

Is there sand under the muck?....if so I have a pretty good way of getting rid of it.

You wouldn't be suggesting MUCKRAKING would you?

[SAMIAM]

Is there sand under the muck?....if so I have a pretty good way of getting rid of it.

[tis]

Aren't you allowed to rake in the lake if it is only a hand rake?

I am very curious Sam, I can't wait for your answer! how??? your motor?

[SAMIAM]

I have western exposure and and the beach is semi circular,so it catches all the leaves,silt and twigs frorm miles around.Each spring I tie my pontoon boat (40hp) to the dock,facing the beach and get a strong current flowing past the beach and then use a roof rake to gentle stir up the bottom.Everything is swept out into deep water.Vegetation doesn't get established and the sand always looks nice after a treatment..No chemicals and totally legal.
You have to play with the trim a little to avoid digging a hole in the bottom.

[tis]

Can I hire you? We have a sandy beach too but every years the leaves get in it and make it awful to swim in. Seems I am always raking them out, but it is a losing battle. I tried running my boat through, but took a prop out doing it. Darn where did that rock come from?

[SAMIAM]

Tis...how deep is the water ...and do you have a dock near the beach?.....once you get a steady current going,the snow rake will pull everything into it.....and out to sea.I'll be glad to lend you my snow rake if you don't have one.Once the leaves start to decompose,vegetation can get established and then it's really tough to clean up.One section that I had ignored for several years got over run with pond lily's.Had to remove the roots to get it back.

[tis]

Sam. It is fairly shallow at first. You walk out up to your knees for a bit and then gets deeper quicker. I do have a big wide cement rake which works pretty well. I don't think the dock is close enough to the beach to get a good current going. I like your idea though. For that matter I like most of the things you write.

[Orion]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

Each spring I tie my pontoon boat (40hp) to the dock,facing the beach and get a strong current flowing past the beach and then use a roof rake to gentle stir up the bottom.Everything is swept out into deep water.Vegetation doesn't get established and the sand always looks nice after a treatment..No chemicals and totally legal.

......maybe once you get an approved DES permit for that activity, which is doubtful.

[tis]

Why Orion, are you saying Sam can't run his motor and rake at the same time? ------------- (Seriously, I don't think the state would like it at all.)

[Rattlesnake Guy]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

I have western exposure and and the beach is semi circular,so it catches all the leaves,silt and twigs frorm miles around.Each spring I tie my pontoon boat (40hp) to the dock,facing the beach and get a strong current flowing past the beach and then use a roof rake to gentle stir up the bottom.Everything is swept out into deep water.Vegetation doesn't get established and the sand always looks nice after a treatment..No chemicals and totally legal.
You have to play with the trim a little to avoid digging a hole in the bottom.

Sam,
What a coincidence. I live just up the beach from you and use the exact technique to blow my leaves in your direction. I wonder if this could be a problem?

[SAMIAM]

I WONDERED who that was......geesh....no wonder I have so many leaves.Oh....sorry about that septic problem ......hopefully I can get that squared away by august,or so