Bulrush Aquatics LLC

08/26/2026

01/01/2026

11/27/2025

11/11/2025

11/11/2025

Facts About Herbicide Spraying Practices

🔹 Chemical Use
• FWC applies hundreds of thousands of gallons of herbicide mixtures into Florida’s waterways annually.
• Common herbicides include:
• Glyphosate (Rodeo®) – systemic herbicide that kills plants to the root.
• Diquat (Reward®) – contact herbicide; fast-acting but kills only above-ground tissue.
• 2,4-D and Endothall – used for hydrilla; known to affect non-target species.

🔹 Environmental Impact
• Decomposition from killed vegetation consumes dissolved oxygen → can cause fish kills and harm native aquatic life.
• Nutrient release (nitrogen & phosphorus) from decaying plants fuels algal blooms — including toxic blue-green algae.
• Repeated chemical use creates a cycle: invasive plants die, decay, feed algae, algae dies, nutrients recycle → new invasive growth.
• Sediment accumulation increases because dead vegetation sinks and decomposes, shallowing lakes and rivers.
• Over 60 years of spraying has not eliminated hydrilla or hyacinth, proving chemical control is not sustainable.

🔹 Public & Scientific Concern
• University of Florida IFAS studies (2019–2024) show that overuse of herbicides can reduce dissolved oxygen by 50% in treated zones for up to 10 days.
• Florida LAKEWATCH data indicate that repeated spraying raises phosphorus levels in many lakes, worsening water quality.
• Public opposition is growing: many local groups and municipalities (e.g., Lake Kissimmee, Lake Okeechobee advocates) have petitioned to limit FWC’s chemical spraying due to visible algae blooms and dead fish after treatments.

11/09/2025

Manual / Mechanical Removal Facts

🔹 How It Works
• Plants are cut and physically removed from the water using mechanical harvesters, rakes, or diver suction tools.
• Biomass is hauled out and disposed of or recycled (compost, biofuel, mulch).

🔹 Proven Benefits
1. Removes nutrients from the system (instead of recycling them).
• Each ton of wet vegetation removed takes up to 7 pounds of phosphorus and 40 pounds of nitrogen out of the water.
2. Prevents oxygen depletion — no mass die-off, no rot.
3. Promotes native regrowth — selective harvesting allows beneficial species to thrive.
4. Improves water clarity and light pe*******on.
5. Creates local jobs — supports small environmental contractors instead of chemical distributors.
6. Public support — homeowners, anglers, and environmental groups overwhelmingly prefer mechanical removal when educated on long-term effects.

🔹 Economic & Long-Term Advantage
• Although harvesting has higher initial costs, it reduces the need for repeated treatment.
• Long-term maintenance becomes easier because sediment and nutrient loads decline over time.