Annual Lake & Pond Management

The first step towards a pristine waterbody is identifying the problem’s source. Professional water quality testing provides valuable data on water quality imbalances and informs next steps. For example, high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen can contribute to nuisance pond weed growth, which will eventually die off and the organic material will settle at the bottom of the waterbody. Year after year, this cycle can lead to muck development and, subsequently, flooding and volume loss which can lead to costly property damage.

Dredging is the primary solution for resetting aquatic ecosystems with severe muck and sediment build-up. During this process, waterbodies are cleared of hundreds or thousands of pounds of nutrient-rich sediment and nuisance plant life. Though dredging is costly and invasive, it’s an extremely impactful management tool that should be followed by regular maintenance, water quality testing and monitoring, and proactive strategies like shoreline management.

Rehabilitating eroded banks will prevent nutrient-rich sediment from returning to the water. One of the most effective erosion repair solutions is a durable knitted soil containment system called SOX. This patented tool is used to reshape and strengthen a shoreline for many years. Once installed, turf or other vegetation can be planted over the system to create a living shoreline. This results in a natural, integrated look that serves as a bio-filter, creates a safe stable shoreline and enhances the aesthetics of any property.

To extend the longevity of a newly restored shoreline, it’s crucial to maintain a healthy beneficial buffer comprised of native, deep-rooted plants. Vegetative shoreline buffers should extend 3-5ft from the water and grow approximately 18in tall. In addition to creating a complex web that holds soil in place, buffer plants help filter out runoff that contains pet waste, trash, fertilizers, yard debris, and other sources of nutrient pollution.

Balanced nutrient levels can also be maintained with the help of beneficial bacteria that consume sludge naturally, as well as nutrient remediation products like Phoslock and Alum that bind with nutrients to prevent plant uptake. Fountains and submersed aeration systems can further support these efforts by increasing dissolved oxygen, which helps convert nutrients to forms that do not fuel organic growth.