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https://hdl.handle.net/11681/6418| Title: | Evaluation of herbicide application platforms for use in aquatic plant control. Report 1, Evaluation of the Marsh Screw Amphibian (MSA) |
| Authors: | Mobility and Environmental Systems Laboratory (U.S.) Aquatic Plant Control Research Program (U.S.) Rush, Edgar S. Willoughby, William E. |
| Keywords: | Aquatic plant control Herbicides Chemical control Marsh Screw Amphibian Screw propelled vehicles |
| Publisher: | Environmental Laboratory (U.S.) Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.) |
| Description: | Technical Report Abstract: The purpose of this report was to document the results of field demonstrations of the Marsh Screw Amphibian (MSA) and to discuss the capabilities of the MSA and other screw-propelled machines and the potential of their unique locomotion principle for transport platforms for aquatic plant herbicide application systems. Herbicides are normally applied to aquatic plants in open water by the use of aircraft, airboats, motorboats, and in some instances, land-based vehicles. Control operations in open water could be significantly reduced if access could be gained to those areas in which aquatic plants regenerate and develop, mainly the tree- and stump-dotted backswamps, access canals, and shallow mud flats surrounding large inland water bodies and along slow-moving rivers. Treatment of aquatic plant breeding grounds from currently available carriers is often impractical; therefore, this study of the MSA was performed. The field demonstrations were carried out in southern Louisiana in areas where the current assortment of boats used for control operations has difficulty maneuvering. The general consensus of observers of the demonstration was that further investigations of the use of screw-propelled machines is warranted; however, additional evaluation of the MSA itself was not justified because of certain design deficiencies. Based on this study, it was recommended that the MSA be modified to correct the current deficiencies and then be reevaluated. Appendix A discusses four other screw-propelled machines, and Appendix B describes highway transporters for screw-propelled vehicles. |
| Rights: | Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11681/6418 |
| Appears in Collections: | Technical Report |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TR-A-77-1.pdf | 12.93 MB | Adobe PDF |  View/Open |