Ponder These Thoughts – Pond Management Tips for Fall

SOLitude Lake Management wants you to be prepared for the autumn season and all of the wonderful cool weather it brings. With this is mind, we recommend you consider the following tips as you enjoy the colorful fall months on your lake or pond:

• The majority of ponds and lakes in the mid-Atlantic region have low alkalinity levels and lack sufficient minerals due to the soil types found in the region. The addition of limestone to waterbodies with low alkalinity enhances water chemistry and provides aquatic life with important minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Fall and winter are the ideal times of year to add limestone.

• Stocking golden shiners and trout are two great options available to improve largemouth bass growth rates while also enhancing the current forage base in you fishery. Stocking a combination of both golden shiners and trout in the fall is an ideal approach to putting pounds on your bass.

• Schedule a Bathymetric and Sedimentation Study as well as a structural inspection of your pond. This will allow for proper budgeting for future dredging and repair of any physical problems with your pond and its related structures.

• Fall is a good time to think about repairing and maintaining the areas around your pond. Be sure to trim the vegetative buffer zone and make certain that it is free of any woody vegetation. Repair any eroded areas around your pond before they become major issues. Erosion repair can easily be done in the fall months when you can over seed and apply an erosion blanket to allow for soil stabilization until the new seed germinates.

• Falling leaves and other yard debris may blow into your lake or pond. Try to keep leaves, clippings and other debris out of the waterbody and the ditches and storm drains that lead to it, as this adds nutrients which could lead to the growth of pond algae and other unwanted vegetation.

• If your pond has a fountain, now is the perfect time to schedule an Oil and Seals service which should be performed every three years. For those who live in the colder climates, you may desire removal and winter storage for your fountain. If so, this should be completed by early December.

Download Free Report

Contact the experts at 888-480-5253 for all of your lake, pond and fisheries management needs. 

Since 1998, SOLitude Lake Management has been committed to providing full service lake and pond management services that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Services are available throughout the Eastern United States. Fisheries management consulting and aquatic products are available nationwide. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at www.solitudelakemanagement.com.