Panevėžys begins annual harvesting of Nevėžis river vegetation

Panevėžys municipality has begun its annual harvesting of aquatic vegetation in the Nevėžis River, covering a stretch of over six kilometres, the city administration announced on Tuesday.

The annual cutting helps maintain the river’s ecological balance, reduces excessive plant growth, and contributes to a well-kept and attractive urban environment, according to officials.

This year’s work will focus on the section from Vakarinė to J. Biliūno Street, with a specialised amphibious harvester currently operating between the Smėlynė and Respublikos Street bridges. The work will later move to other designated parts of the river, with completion expected by the end of summer.

The municipality stated that systematic maintenance of the Nevėžis has been ongoing for several years. The cutting of aquatic plants—macrophytes—began in 2015, and since 2019, the entire riverbed within the city has been regularly managed. Plants are cut to a depth of one metre, which slows regrowth and gradually reduces excessive vegetation.

Long-term practice shows that consistent upkeep yields results, with a noticeable annual decrease in aquatic plant volume. The work complies with environmental protection requirements, with riverbed cleaning suspended from March 1 to July 1 to protect fish spawning. Once this period ends, work begins immediately to finish before summer’s end.

The maintenance is carried out by the company Mobarn-Lt, which won a public tender for the project.