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Harry Kuiack prepares to move a collection of weeds onto a shore-based conveyor belt on Glen Lake. Kuiack has been harvesting the weeds for more than 15 years on his home lake. The Langford resident and two fellow weed barge co-ordinators are always looking for volunteers to help out. Arnold Lim/News staff
A summer tradition on Langford’s lakes Weed-cutting barge keeps lakes more swimmable Arnold Lim News staff
Harry Kuiack flicks a switch. The sound of an engine fills the air before a churning conveyer belt sends a thick swath of weeds,
freshly plucked from the waters of Glen Lake, move up the belt to fill a bin to the brim with the shimmering vegetation. Despite spending 15 years weeding the lake he has lived on for almost four decades, the Langford resident returns annually to take part in the harvest. “As one of the fortunate people that do live on this lake, I think we have a responsibility to be stew-
ards of the lake,” he said. “This is my opportunity to give back to the community by harvesting the weeds each year.” The semi-retired alarm systems integrator cuts the invasive Brazlilian elodea from the lake bottom with the weed harvesting barge, which is fitted with gyrating teeth that run along an adjustable hydraulic arm that can go as deep as five feet below the sur-
face. The arms snip thick weeds at the stem, which are collected onto the barge, brought to shore and sent up a conveyor belt that carries it into the bin. When the bin fills up, Alpine Disposal hauls it away for use as fertilizer. The City of Langford picks up the tab for repairs and diesel fuel. “When we first bought (our) property 20 years ago, you
couldn’t row a boat past our place because the weeds were so thick,” said Geoff Hett, who lives on Langford Lake and takes his turn using the cutting barge when it gets moved over to his lake. “It was impossible to swim here before now it is really quite different.” PLEAsE sEE: Operators needed, Page A18
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