Medinah
Country Club

Lily pads offer many benefits to lake ecosystems, but too much of a good thing can affect lake health. Positive benefits include shade for fish and other aquatic creatures, excess nutrient absorption through their dense root systems, and oxygen production and habitat creation for a wide variety of aquatic creatures living in a lake. The downside of too many lily pads is that they can quickly spread and take over an entire lake if left unchecked. Dense populations can block any sunlight from reaching the lake’s bottom, making it impossible for other beneficial aquatic plants to grow. The recommended coverage of lilies in a lake to maintain ecological balance is 30%-40%.

Nearly 50% of the lilies covered Lake Kadijah and became a visual eyesore. Medinah Country Club contracted ILM to remove 6 acres of lilies mechanically. ILM employed two amphibious Truxor machines, one with a cutter head and the other with a rake attachment, which the technician used to collect the cut lilies and pile them on shore. A third technician used a Dingo machine to move the material to a dump trailer and then hauled it to an on-site disposal area. The project took four days to complete.

Lake Kadijah was covered by nearly 50% lilies, becoming a visual eyesore.  ILM was contracted in 2022 to mechanically remove 6 acres of lilies.  ILM employed two Truxor machines, one with a cutter head and the other with a rake attachment which the technician used to collect the cut lilies and pile them on shore.  A third technician used a Dingo machine to move the material to a dump trailer and then hauled them to an onsite disposal area.  The project took four days to complete.