Lakes and ponds play vital roles in our communities, supporting stormwater collection, drinking water, turf irrigation, and aesthetic needs. They’re also some of the few areas where we can truly connect with nature through fishing, kayaking, and nature watching. Consequently, there’s a growing interest among municipalities, golf courses, private landowners, and homeowners associations in managing lakes and ponds with minimal reliance on herbicides and algaecides. Such tools are incredibly important to eliminate rapidly growing invasive plants and algae, but these “reactive” solutions provide short-lived results and do not address the root cause of nuisance growth.
Whether you’re a long-time lake or pond owner or new to managing aquatic resources, it’s never the wrong time to adopt a proactive approach that benefits both the environment and those who rely on your waterbody. However, suppose your waterbody is in poor health and is struggling with recurring algal blooms or sediment buildup. In that case, it’s advised to implement restorative solutions that will help get your waterbody back to a balanced state before implementing ongoing proactive management solutions. Here are seven effective solutions to help restore and maintain a healthy, safe waterbody:
Shoreline repair
Shoreline erosion is a natural process caused by weather, recreation, poor design, or aging ecosystems. Over time, it creates trenches, unstable banks, and habitat loss while reducing waterbody depth and volume. Left unchecked, erosion can pose safety hazards, increase flood risks, threaten property values, and accelerate eutrophication (the aging process of a waterbody).
Advanced bioengineering techniques can be employed to help restore the stability and appearance of the shoreline. Professionals reshape the land around the perimeter by filling a patented knit mesh material with organic material. Native plants and grasses can then be incorporated into the mesh, developing robust root systems that help contain soil. This technique helps prevent future erosion, improves safety, and may restore several feet of lost waterfront property.
Mechanical hydro-raking
Hydro-raking is an impactful and often cost-effective solution with two-fold benefits. In some cases, hydro-raking services can be paired with shoreline restoration efforts to scoop out eroded sediment that has accumulated at the bottom of the waterbody and naturally remove certain nuisance and invasive plants, including emergent cattails and phragmites. A mechanical harvester can be used to remove other nuisance floating plants like water chestnut and water hyacinth, as well as slower-growing submersed plants.
A floating barge equipped with a back-hoe attachment, the hydro-rake can remove up to 500 pounds of organic material in each scoop, depositing it on the shore for off-site disposal. Hydro-raking is an excellent solution to restore depth and volume in target areas with minimal impact on the native ecosystem.
Dredging
In cases of severe volume loss and muck accumulation, dredging may be necessary to reset the lake or pond, creating a clean slate from which to cultivate a healthy, balanced ecosystem. Because dredging disrupts the native ecosystem, and can be extremely costly, Aquatic Experts recommend prolonging the need for dredging for as long as possible – though it will likely be necessary at some point in your waterbody’s lifespan.
A poorly managed waterbody may require dredging after just a decade, but in many cases, a comprehensive management program can effectively prolong the need for 20-30 years. Such management programs are tailored to your unique waterbody and typically incorporate these six other solutions, as well as strategies like fountains and aerators and regular water quality testing.
Biologicals
In some cases, biological bacteria (comparable to a probiotic) can serve as an alternative to hydro-raking and dredging. Often referred to as biological dredging, these beneficial bacteria help accelerate the “digestion” of bottom muck and foster a healthier, more balanced ecosystem. When used properly, biologicals can help reduce bad odors associated with decay, reduce muck to increase depth and overall volume, and improve water clarity.
TryMarine
TryMarine is an eco-friendly solution that helps break down organic muck, leaving behind clean sand while releasing oxygen and beneficial nutrients back into the ecosystem to support the lake’s natural food web. This process promotes balanced oxygen levels, improves water quality, enhances biodiversity, enriches sediment composition, and restores deeper, healthier water.
Lanthanum-modified bentonite
Nutrients are essential in healthy waterbodies, fostering the growth of microorganisms that support the food chain and sustain aquatic ecosystems, including beneficial plants and algae. However, activities like urban development, poor landscaping and agricultural practices, and general pollution can disrupt the ecological balance of our aquatic resources.
During rainstorms, rainwater picks up fertilizers, grass clippings, sediment, pet waste, and other pollutants as it flows into our waterways. These nutrients can fuel the growth of excess aquatic weeds, algae, and toxic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Eco-conscious products like lanthanum-modified bentonite are designed to bind with and “de-activate” nutrients, making them unavailable to weeds and algae. This solution is best for small waterbodies, such as stormwater ponds, where nutrients are more concentrated.
Aluminum sulfate
Similar to lanthanum-modified bentonite, alum helps bind with excess nutrients, making them unusable for nuisance plants and algae. However, alum is recommended for larger recreational waterbodies and drinking water reservoirs experiencing high turbidity – murky water with suspended particles.
Aquatic Experts apply alum using a specialized vessel outfitted with a cutting-edge injection system. The alum forms a floc that binds to excess nutrients in the water column. This floc quickly settles, creating a protective layer over the sediment that prevents nutrients from being released. SOLitude has successfully treated over 35,000 acres of water with alum and can assist stakeholders in securing federal grants, funding, and the necessary permits.
Build Your Eco-Conscious Lake Management Program
Lake and pond management without the use of herbicides or algaecides is not always easy, but an eco-conscious approach is the most effective way to preserve the health of your waterbody for as long as possible. Once restorative strategies have been implemented, ongoing proactive solutions such as fountains and aeration, buffer management, and recurring nutrient remediation applications can help keep your waterbody on the right track—so you can enjoy your water with peace of mind that it’s clean, safe, and functional.
Helping You Achieve Clean Water
SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty and preserve natural resources.
SOLitude’s team of aquatic scientists specializes in the development and execution of customized lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management programs. Services include water quality testing and restoration, algae and aquatic weed control, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, shoreline erosion control, muck and sediment removal and invasive species management. SOLitude partners with homeowners associations, golf courses, private landowners, businesses and municipalities. SOLitude Lake Management is part of Rentokil, a leading business services company, operating across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
For more information, visit SOLitude Lake Management at solitudelakemanagement.com, and connect on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
