Weed eater on the River Styx

Aquatic plants in the waters of the Rideau Waterway are an important part of a natural aquatic ecosystem, especially in the ecology of shoreline areas, according to Parks Canada. They provide habitat for fish to spawn, feed and hide from predators. Aquatic plants also play a key role in maintaining and improving the water quality of the Rideau.

However, excessive plant growth can interfere with boating, swimming and other recreational water activities, thus, enter the Parks Canada weed eater:

The mechanical harvester chews up the weeds—Eurasian water milfoil is the chief problem—and spits them out neatly compressed in the back of the machine:

Nevertheless, the milfoil grows like crazy, reaching up to foul the propellors of passing boats, meaning we had to stop the TomCat and clear the props more than once during our transit of the River Styx:

The River Styx is a shallow reach of the Rideau Waterway that ends at Kingston Mills, the last lockstation before Kingston and Lake Ontario. As Ken Watson reports on his excellent rideau-info.com site:

The River Styx is appropriately named. During the building of the Rideau Canal, this area consisted of small sections of rapids. The locks and dams that were constructed flooded this area, removed the rapids, and provided 5 feet of water for through navigation. There are few houses in this area. As one approaches Pete Crow Island, Joyceville Penitentiary passes on the right side.