SOLitude Lake Management, a leading environmental firm specializing in lake, pond, wetland and fisheries management, and related environmental services, has expanded its national presence to the western United States by uniting with Aquatic Environments, Inc. based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Written by Industry Expert Cory Smith, Aquatic Specialist & Regional Leader

The long, warm days of summer provide the perfect backdrop for swimming, boating and fishing, but the last thing you want to encounter at your lake or pond is a summer fish kill. Fish kills are often a natural occurrence that can happen any time of year. However, they are especially common in the summer. As the weather changes, the surface and bottom of the waterbody form distinct layers containing different dissolved oxygen levels and temperatures.

Written by Industry Expert Trent Nelson, Business Development Consultant & Aquatic Specialist

Everyone has heard the adage that no two snowflakes are the same, but did you know this truth also applies to your waterbody? No two lakes or ponds are the same—and location, size, water use, aquatic vegetation coverage and type, pond nutrient levels and water depth are all factors that can coincide in unique ways to influence the health of your waterbody. Oftentimes, odor and water color can reveal a lot, however, the unique characteristics of a lake or pond are not always this simple to observe. A professional lake manager tests water quality to capture and analyze the unique attributes that make up your waterbody and uses the data to create a totally customized lake or pond management plan. Many different parameters can be tested, but the basic values are pH, alkalinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, water temperature and nutrient levels. These parameters are of particular importance because they can help identify problem areas and significantly influence or help shape a management plan.

Written by Industry Expert Todd Karg, Fisheries & Wildlife Scientist

As global travel and transport become increasingly accessible, the risk of plant, animal, insect and mollusk relocation becomes greater. This is a serious problem. When a species native to one region is introduced to another, it is considered invasive. Invasive species have few or no natural predators and often destroy entire ecosystems by competing with native species, outgrowing their habitat and decreasing the biodiversity of surrounding life. Take the state of Florida, for instance. The delicate wetlands and aquatic ecosystems in the region are known for their unique diversity. However, increased tourism and shipping ports, along with greater accessibility from South America, have facilitated the introduction of many non-native species to the state, like the invasive and destructive apple snail.

Written by Industry Expert Daniel Hood, Wildlife & Fisheries Scientist

I have always been a fan of Benjamin Franklin’s saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Lake and pond management is a perfect example of this advice; preventing water quality problems at their source is often the most effective measure to help achieve long-term aquatic health. Community managers, golf course superintendents and private landowners interested in becoming more proactive in their maintenance approach may be intimidated by the many environmental variables and aquatic management strategies available to them. However, an easy and effective place to start is by creating and maintaining a shoreline buffer of native vegetation around their waterbody. 

AS SEEN IN Pond Boss Magazine: Written by Industry Experts David Beasley, Fisheries Biologist & Director of Fisheries and West M. Bishop, Ph.D., Algae Scientist & Water Quality Research Manager at SePRO Corporation

Several decades ago, pioneers of the trophy Largemouth Bass industry began connecting the dots on how to consistently grow big bass. Over the years, these innovators continually built on their knowledge to maximize production and develop fisheries from the bottom-up. They had a firm understanding that phytoplankton (microscopic algae throughout the water) was critical to producing those big bass we all daydream about, so they employed fertility programs that involved monitoring the plankton bloom and applying fertilizer when the bloom provided visual clues that additional nutrients were needed. Biologists developed an eye what to look for, and as result, fertilizing ponds became as much of an art as it was a science.

SOLitude Lake Management is excited and honored to announce recent milestones achieved through the company’s dedicated community outreach program, The SOLution. This past month, SOLitude’s team surpassed 10,000 volunteering hours in our local communities since the program’s inception in 2012.

SOLitude Lake Management has been named one of the 50 fastest growing companies in the Commonwealth by Virginia Chamber of Commerce. SOLitude ranked 31 out of 50 companies honored during an awards dinner in Chantilly, VA.

AS SEEN IN WMCCAI May 2018 issue of Quorum Magazine: Written by Industry Expert Shannon Junior, Aquatic Ecologist 

For Community Managers, adding a new property to the portfolio can be both exciting and stressful. Ideally, the community will have an experienced Board that gets along well and supports a common agenda. The developer or the previous management company will have kept adequate, organized records, and the transition to new management will go very smoothly and will include all of the pertinent documents. Or . . .

Written by Industry Expert Gavin Ferris, Ecologist 

I frequently use herbicides and algaecides in my line of work. Having attended college and graduate school to be an Ecologist, it isn’t something I thought I would do very often, but with the frequency of environmental problems that involve invasive flora, nuisance aquatic weeds and potentially-toxic algae, EPA-registered herbicides and algaecides are an invaluable tool. There are, however, times when their use is impractical, imprudent, illegal or impossible. Maybe the HOA or property manager prefers that herbicides not be applied to nearby waters. Perhaps the regulatory bodies in a given area aren’t permitting the use of certain products. Whatever the reason, sometimes this option just isn’t on the table. But how do we effectively manage algae and aquatic weeds without herbicides and algaecides?

I employ a simple concept that I call the algae triangle, though it works for all forms of vegetation.