Aquatic plants on the Ruhr reservoirs: Partial mowing operation from this week

The first mowing boat trips on Lake Baldeney took place this week in coordination between Weiße Flotten Baldeney, IG Baldeney, the city of Essen and the Ruhrverband. The reason for this was information from the clubs based on the southern shore, who had noticed increasing weed growth around their jetties and moorings over the past few days.

However, the trips carried out at the beginning of the week produced such a low yield of mown material that mowing was stopped again for the time being. In view of the warm and sunny weather, however, it can be assumed that mowing will soon have to be resumed. Under optimal external conditions, the Elodea, for example, the most obstructive of all aquatic plants in the Ruhr reservoirs, can grow up to 20 centimetres in length per day. The need to deploy the mowing boats is now being reviewed on a daily basis.

Overall, however, those responsible feel that they are well prepared for the upcoming mowing season on Lake Baldeney. A few days ago, another mowing boat was delivered, which was purchased by the Ruhrverband and named "Kaiman". It was lifted onto the water by crane and is now ready for use. The agreement from previous years that the Ruhrverband would provide the mowing boats while the Weiße Flotte Baldeney would be in charge of the navigation remains in place.

Lake Kemnade has seen an increase in traffic, and here too the "Manati" has been in operation since the beginning of the week, steered by Ruhrverband employees. Work has started in the area of Haus Oveney and the jetty for passenger shipping. However, some of the aquatic plants have not yet fully grown to the surface, which is why the mowing boat can only travel very slowly, as the plants would otherwise be pushed down by the bow wave instead of being mowed down and would rise up again behind the boat at an undiminished height.

In the summer of 2024 - after several consecutive years of poor growth - there was once again a very strong development of aquatic plants on the Ruhr reservoirs. Over 510 tonnes of cuttings were collected at Lake Baldeney and almost 350 tonnes at Lake Kemnader. It remains to be seen whether the 2025 season will bring similarly strong growth.