By: Ysabella Bhagroo, Digital Marketing Specialist

During this time of social distancing it’s easy to feel alone, overwhelmed or stir crazy. Although we can’t control the state of the country, we can control how we decide to use our time. It’s important to stay hopeful and focus on your physical and mental well-being. An excellent way to do this is by finding sanctuary and solitude in nature. Water heals our bodies and minds. And right now, that makes our lakes and ponds more essential than ever.

So, if you're looking for ways to keep yourself and your family entertained and healthy during this time of self-isolation and social distancing, we have some excellent recommendations.

Here are 15 outdoor activities you can enjoy on or around your waterbody:

In addition to serving as a space for peace and natural solitude in the face of coronavirus (COVID-19), our lakes, ponds and wetlands are an investment. One of the best ways to enjoy and protect these essential resources is by ensuring the progress you have made towards your freshwater goals is not reversed. Ongoing proactive management through the upcoming spring and summer months will prevent serious and costly problems from developing that could be detrimental to the health of the waterbody, as well as the surrounding community:

Written by: David Cottrell, District Manager and Botanist

I recently met with a client who recounted a story of a lakefront cookout that was plagued by thousands of swarming insects. The culprits were midge flies and they created a terrible nuisance as neighbors tried to enjoy a beautiful evening together in Northeast Florida. The midges covered all surfaces, including—to the horror of the hosts—the freshly melted cheese adorning their juicy grilled burgers… pizza anyone? The client has a lot of fun with this story now, but the sad reality was that the beautiful setting which attracted them to their fantastic neighborhood was ruined during midge season. Unfortunately, in some parts of the country like Florida, midge fly infestations can last for the majority of the year!

There are two common groups of midges that cause headaches for many waterfront residents. One is often referred to as the bloodworm midge and the other as the phantom or ghost midge. Both groups get their name from their appearance in the larval stage of their lifecycle. While it’s reassuring to know that midges do not bite or spread disease like mosquitoes, they can have a significant impact on the enjoyment of outdoor spaces; they create a mess to clean up, mar painted surfaces, and may even cause problems for asthma sufferers.

Written by Noel Browning, Aquatic Biologist

A Central Colorado town about 25 miles north of Denver has experienced rapid population growth over the past decade. A large 30 surface acre drinking water storage reservoir serves the growing population of more than 25,000 people. The lake is classified as a “no contact” waterbody, which prohibits swimming, wading and boating, but is otherwise open to the public for recreation and fishing. This unique ecosystem of the lake and surrounding landscape is home to several species of warm-water fish, waterfowl, birds, amphibians, and other small mammals. This waterbody is an important asset for its drinking water supply as well as a venue for the outdoor recreation valued highly by locals.

In 2019, SOLitude Lake Management was contacted regarding concerns of over abundant aquatic vegetation growth in the reservoir. During the initial site visit, the plant causing concerns within the resource was identified as watermilfoil. The client was mainly concerned with their infrastructure continually becoming clogged with the vegetation as well as the nuisance growth limiting fishing access for the public.

Following another successful year of volunteering and community outreach efforts through The SOLution program, SOLitude Lake Management is excited to announce that the company’s annual Heart & SOL recognition was awarded to Aquatic Specialist Jim Sheeran of Southwest Florida (second from left). 

The Heart & SOL award recognizes one individual within the company each year who goes above and beyond in personal volunteering, inspiring others, and displaying a true commitment and passion for making the world a better place. Sheeran was selected for his never-ending dedication to supporting charitable initiatives in his local community of Fort Myers.

A Florida community in the Greater Tampa area is home to a bird rookery, giving it an up close look at the unique species that call the property home. Wood storks, great egrets, snowy egrets, great blue herons and white ibis are enjoyed by residents and local bird watchers alike. However, this exciting window into nature is accompanied by a severe nutrient loading problem. Over the years, watershed inputs, recurring bird feedings, and bird droppings from the trees above the 2-acre community pond have created imbalanced water quality conditions that support the growth of unrelenting algae and cyanobacteria blooms. In addition to causing an eyesore, these harmful blooms are known to create toxins that can threaten the rare wildlife and endanger the health of community members.

The bird species that live on the property are protected, making long-term management of the undesirable blooms a challenge. The community chooses to avoid many traditional solutions to ensure the natural characteristics of the ecosystem are maintained year-round. Often, this commitment means sacrificing the aesthetic beauty of the property. However, in 2019, SOLitude Lake Management introduced an alternative option to the community - one that aligns with the environmental principles of the residents while also nurturing the health and appearance of the aquatic environment.

The nation's largest freshwater management firm has established an official presence in Long Island, NY, through the acquisition of The Pond Guy, Inc.

SOLitude Lake Management is an industry-leading environmental firm providing turn-key lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management solutions to clients in more than 36 states. The rebranding of The Pond Guy, which will be officially completed in April, further expands SOLitude’s nationwide presence in the state of New York and across the East Coast.

Founded in 1998 by owner Joe Kastalek, The Pond Guy, Inc. is one of the original lake and pond management companies to serve Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Westchester, and New York City's five Boroughs. Kastalek's team specializes in a broad range of freshwater management services, including fountain and aeration system design, aquatic plant and algae management, wetland remediation, mosquito control, and fish stocking.