Through SOLitude’s corporate volunteering and community outreach program, The SOLution, the company has named Regional Administrator Regina Brimmer of Charlottesville, VA as the Volunteer of the Quarter for the third quarter of 2018.

Regina volunteers regularly and was very active in July, August and September through various charitable and volunteering events supporting her community. She is passionate about animals and donates much of her time to Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue, a non-profit that provides a home for aged and disabled

SOLitude Lake Management is pleased to officially welcome eight of its newest hires to the company’s growing team. These accomplished professionals, spanning from the Northeast to the Southwest, bring extensive industry experience, a wealth of education and a passion for restoring the health and beauty of aquatic ecosystems in their local communities. 

Ben German is a fisheries biologist serving clients from SOLitude’s Shrewsbury, MA office. He helps design and execute comprehensive lake management solutions for clients, with a particular focus on fisheries management, water quality monitoring and analysis, and nuisance plant management. Ben has a bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Aquaculture from SUNY Cobleskill, as well as a Master of Science degree in Lake Management from SUNY Oneonta.

Lauren Sullivan is an environmental scientist based out of Shrewsbury, MA who assists SOLitude’s mechanical division with invasive weed control services, surveys, reports, proposals and GIS mapping. She is passionate about conservation and preserving natural resources and comes to SOLitude with 10-years of experience in several environmental disciplines. Lauren graduated in 2010 from Westfield State University with a degree in Environmental Science and a minor in GIS. 

Your floating fountain helps to maintain the balance of your pond or lake with constant aeration while providing a pleasing view throughout summer months. As we head into winter, now is the best time to consider scheduling critical maintenance and “TLC” for your fountain, such as an oil and seals maintenance service.

This important fountain maintenance task will ensure that your seals are working as designed, preventing any water from leaking into the unit, and that that your pond fountain is running with clean oil. The oil and seals service includes performing an internal inspection of the power unit (motor and related parts), making any necessary adjustments, replacing any worn parts, and changing the oil, rotary shaft seal, and all related parts. Changing the oil in your fountain works much like changing the oil in your car: the cleaner the oil, the smoother it runs.

Written by Industry Expert Jason Luce, Lake Management Scientist

Have you ever wondered what happens to a single drop of water when it rains? Depending upon where you live, that drop of water may land on the ground and seep into the soil or it may land on a leaf and evaporate back into the atmosphere. But, if you live in a developed area such as a city or HOA community, the fate of that droplet of water may be a rooftop, sidewalk or road and eventually a lake or stormwater pond. As development increases, so does stormwater runoff. Stormwater runoff is the portion of rainfall or snowmelt that “runs off” the landscape instead of seeping into the ground. When managed incorrectly, stormwater runoff can become a major problem.

Written by Industry Expert Bob Schindler, Aquatic Biologist

Ecological impacts, habitat distinctions, and sustainable management options for Zebra and Quagga mussels in freshwater environments

Widespread occurrences of both Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and Quagga mussels (D. rostriformis bugensis) have been well documented since their initial confirmation within the Great Lakes during 1986 and 1991, respectively. These two species of invasive aquatic shellfish have been a focus of research and public education as their infestations have rapidly expanded to include a major portion of the Northeastern United States, along with localized infestations now confirmed west of the Rockies. While many of the significant ecological impacts are mutually shared between both species of mussel, there are key morphological and potential habitat distinctions that can aid in identifying the threat level of introduction, especially within small lake and pond environments.

Written by Erin Stewart, Territory Leader & Aquatic Biologist

Nutrients are required for all living things to survive. They are metabolized for energy or fuel so organisms can develop and grow. The nutrients humans and animals need are provided by the food we eat. When food is consumed and digested, it provides the fuel to synthesize or produce direct energy. Similarly, plants take up the nutrients they need from soil and the atmosphere through roots and leaves. In lakes and ponds, these nutrients are found suspended in the water and within bottom sediments. Aquatic plants absorb nutrients through roots down in the sediments or leaves. Submerged plants also absorb (CO2) from the water and sunlight that penetrates below the water surface.

Everything ages with time. When it comes to your lake or pond, time can take a toll on its health and functionality. Over the lifespan of your waterbody, sediment and organic matter will accumulate, nuisance plants will flourish, water quality will diminish and water depth will decrease. Luckily, you can reverse the aging process and help restore your waterbody back to health with one environmentally-friendly management tool: hydro-raking.

Are you curious whether this is the management solution for you? Below are some of the most popular questions from our recent hydro-raking webinar hosted by industry experts Joe Onorato, Aquatic Specialist & Business Development Consultant; Jeff Castellani, Director of Mechanical Operations and Keith Gazaille, Aquatic Ecologist & Director of Lake Management for the North and Mid-Atlantic.

If you missed the webinar, you can watch a full recording here. 

Is hydro-raking a good option for removing the following aquatic plants: milfoil, waterlilies, cattails and hydrilla?

Like any other aquatic plant management technique, there are situations that favor or limit the use of hydro-raking as an effective tool. It’s important

Written by Industry Expert Paul Dorsett, Fisheries Biologist

I could hear his excitement when Mike called requesting a consultation on plans to build ponds and lakes on the ranch he intended to purchase. Upon arrival at the ranch to evaluate the potential for several 1- to 20-acre impoundments, and after consulting a topographic map, I quickly realized Mike’s excitement was about to be severely diminished. The entire area he wanted to develop into scenic lakes and trophy bass fisheries was fed by over 1,600 acres of watershed. This watershed may be suitable for a 150-acre lake in this area but for the relatively small impoundments Mike envisioned, this watershed would have resulted in unmanageable fisheries with expensive and difficult dams to build and maintain. In short, his lakes would have flushed like a Texas tube chute every time a sizable rainfall event occurred.

SOLitude Lake Management, an industry leader in lake and pond management, fisheries management and related environmental services for the United States, is proud to recognize several team members for their new or recurring volunteer leadership roles within many industry organizations. SOLitude employs some of the most experienced and well-connected professionals in the aquatics industry who share the same goal of making water a more healthy and beautiful part of our world through sustainable lake, pond, wetland and fisheries management.

Written by Industry Expert Gavin Ferris, Ecologist

As an ecologist, I field questions on topics ranging from the lifespan of a tadpole to the best way to defend koi against the ravages of a great blue heron. Of all the animals I am asked about, however, three mammals probably produce the most concern and curiosity: the muskrat, the beaver, and the otter.

Each of these aquatic animals plays a unique role in the environment, fulfilling a niche that contributes to its aquatic ecosystem, and all three animals are frequently found together, thanks largely to the services provided by the beaver. Beavers are perhaps the world’s first engineers, modifying their environment to suit their needs. Relying on deep water for safety, beavers have an innate drive to dam up moving water. When they see a stream, they want it to be