ACL staff have begun training on a new weed harvester that will operate at Lake Hood this summer.

The harvester was on the water recently, so three operators could learn about its functions and control settings. The Aquamarine H5-200 weed harvester was imported from Canada earlier this year.

Group Manager of Infrastructure and Open Spaces Neil McCann said weed growth usually started in October, so it was time to start testing and training on the machine.

“We’ll have three trained operators and early trials show the machine is performing very well. The weed level is quite low at the moment, but that will change from October through to March when it grows.”

It’s hoped that regular trimming of the lake weed in warmer months will help improve water circulation at the lake, amongst other measures.

The weed harvester was purchased as part of an agreement with ACL to manage the area from July 2024.

After some testing of the machine, the team will prepare a work programme for its operations.