Restoring Balance at Strawbridge Lake: Spatterdock Removal Project Underway

Work is underway at Strawbridge Lake as Princeton Hydro and Moorestown Township continue a lake restoration project focused on managing excessive spatterdock growth throughout portions of the lake. The effort is part of a broader, long-term strategy to improve lake health, enhance recreational opportunities, and support the ecological function of this important community resource.

Take a look at some recent photos from the field featuring Field Services Project Manager Matt Kreines operating the Truxor during spatterdock removal activities:

Spatterdock (Nuphar advena), also known as yellow pond lily or cow lily, is a native aquatic plant commonly found in lakes, ponds, and slow-moving waters throughout the eastern United States. While native aquatic vegetation plays an important role in healthy lake ecosystems, excessive growth can reduce open water areas, limit recreation, and alter habitat conditions. At Strawbridge Lake, years of monitoring and management have identified areas where spatterdock has expanded significantly and requires active management.

The current project focuses on removing overabundant spatterdock from targeted sections of the lake while preserving important habitat along the shoreline. In coordination with guidance from the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife, a vegetated buffer is being maintained around portions of the lake’s edge to provide refuge and spawning habitat for fish.

Work on the Water and Beyond

Using Princeton Hydro’s amphibious Truxor harvesting machine, our team of licensed operators are cutting and removing dense stands of spatterdock from open-water areas throughout the lake. The harvested vegetation is collected and transported to the shoreline, where Moorestown Township Public Works crews remove the material for composting and final disposal.

These photos, captured by Matt Kreines from the operator’s seat of the Truxor, provide a firsthand look at the spatterdock removal process in action:

The restoration work also encourages improved water circulation in the lake and increased dissolved oxygen, two important factors in maintaining water quality. The harvesting process also removes nutrients stored within the plant biomass, providing additional benefits.

The spatterdock management project builds upon years of planning, monitoring, and restoration work at Strawbridge Lake. Since the development of the Strawbridge Lake Watershed Management and Restoration Plan, Moorestown Township has invested in a variety of initiatives, including water quality monitoring, aquatic vegetation management, Children’s Pond restoration, stormwater improvements, fishery surveys, invasive species management, and public outreach programs.

The project is funded in part through American Rescue Plan Act funds awarded to Moorestown Township ($113,500) via NJDEP’s Stormwater Grant Program for in-lake vegetation removal management of up to 15 acres of the overabundant noxious species Spatterdock from Strawbridge Lake and Pennsauken Creek (North Branch).  This project is intended not only to improve conditions at Strawbridge Lake, but also to demonstrate an approach that other communities can adapt for similar lake and watershed restoration efforts.

Connecting Restoration and Community Education

On May 2, Moorestown Township hosted a public information session at the Moorestown Public Library, where residents joined Township staff and Princeton Hydro Senior Manager and Certified Lake Manager Chris Mikolajczyk, CLM to learn about Strawbridge Lake management and watershed restoration efforts.

The presentation highlighted the history of restoration efforts at Strawbridge Lake, ongoing vegetation management activities, and opportunities for residents to help improve water quality at home through practices such as rain gardens, rain barrels, natural landscaping, and other stormwater management techniques. The session also provided community members with the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the work taking place throughout the watershed.

Click here to view and download the full presentation.

As work continues, the Township and Princeton Hydro remain committed to advancing practical, science-based solutions that benefit both the lake and the surrounding community. Click here to learn more about our partnership with Moorestown Township to protect and restore Strawbridge Lake.

• Environmental Education
• Lake and Pond Management
• Natural Resource Management