- Crews have been clearing Lake Killarney from vegetation that's taken over for years.
- Neighbors are excited to be able to get out on the water once again.
- Watch the video to hear why it will also help the health of the lake:
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For years, neighbors say haven’t been able to enjoy Lake Killarney.
Now, the lake getting its first makeover in decades.
More than 80 piles of vegetation came from the body of water.
Neighbors have noticed.
"I was really surprised by the amount of material that they've hauled out of the lake so far," said Patrick Flemming.
"I came to actually see this machine in motion," said Karen Robertson.
The machine she's talking about, a water harvester removing more than one million pounds of vegetation in one week.
Becky Brymer has lived on this lake for 38 years and said the overgrowth keeps her and her family off the water.
"My grandchildren came from Ohio and we have a boat and it was very hard for the boat to get in the water because of all the garbage at the top," Brymer said.
Killearn Estates Homeowners Association President Steve Givens said a survey of their 3,800 households found that many have the same story.
"This was overwhelmingly the number one concern they had was the condition of our lakes," Givens said.
That's why he called Justin Stone with Stones Aquatic Weed and Algae Removal.
"Four years ago, it went dry and what happens when it goes dry, all this vegetation starts growing on the bottom," Stone said. "When the water comes back up, the water lets go and brings the bottom up with it."
That not only keeps neighbors off the water, but Stone says non-native plants are taking over the lake.
"Hydrilla is as most people in Florida know is one of the biggest invasive species around but unfortunately, once it's in a lake, it's very hard to get rid of," Stone said.
Coworker and biologist Chao Xiong said the island of plants on top of the water also hurt the fish.
"Any body of water, they get a lot of oxygen from your atmospheric and water interface," Xiong said. "When you block that off with a big vegetative mat, you lose that."
With progress already visible, Brymer said she's excited to enjoy her beautiful backyard lake once again.
"I look forward to just looking at it, going boating and having it the way it used to be," Brymer said.
The project will be completed in February.
