AS SEEN IN Golf Course Management: Written by Benjamin Chen, Fisheries Biologist 

Golf courses are picturesque with their landscaped green fairways and winding paths. While turf management is usually the first order of business for superintendents, lakes, ponds and water features aid in irrigation and help accentuate the beauty of the environment. Without proper management, however, they can cause water quality problems that may become a huge detriment to the golfing experience. In other words, if your greens and your ponds are the same color, we have a lot to talk about.

Luckily, proactive strategies and new innovative technologies are making lake management without traditional herbicides or algaecides easier than ever—with results that last longer.

AS SEEN IN Parks and Rec Business Magazine: Written by Trent Nelson, Aquatic Specialist and Business Development Consultant

Most people have heard the adage that no two snowflakes are the same, but did you know this truth also applies to bodies of water? No two lakes or ponds are the same—and location, the size, water use, aquatic vegetation coverage and type, pond nutrient levels, and water depth are all factors that can combine in unique ways to influence the health of a community 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 determine the unique attributes that make up a waterbody and uses the data to create a totally customized lake or pond management plan. Many different and important parameters can be tested, but the basic values are pH, alkalinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, water temperature, and nutrient levels.

AS SEEN IN Bass Master: Written by Fisheries Biologist Vic DiCenzo, PhD

Fisheries biologists consider aquatic plants to be an important component for healthy aquatic ecosystems. Aquatic plants serve a variety of functions including production of oxygen, recycling nutrients, reducing turbidity and providing food, spawning substrate and habitat for invertebrates and fish. However, while anglers and hunters favor an abundance of aquatic plants in reservoirs, many lake users prefer little to no vegetation. These differences challenge reservoir managers when developing management plans.

A survey of 1,299 reservoirs in the U.S. identified excessive plant coverage was a management concern in only 10 percent of the reservoirs surveyed, and not enough plant coverage was a concern in more than 25 percent.

How much aquatic vegetation should be in the lake? It depends on which stakeholder you ask. On U.S. reservoirs, stakeholders include anglers, hunters, boaters, swimmers, homeowners, commercial interests, wildlife watchers, state and federal agencies, real estate agents, just to name a few. Each of these groups likely has a unique tolerance for aquatic vegetation and reservoir managers must face the challenge of recognizing those differences.

How do decision makers manage aquatic plants for different stakeholder values? Is there a level of plant coverage acceptable to all stakeholders? How do invasive species affect management options? What does a successful aquatic plant management plan look like?

Written by Industry Expert Gavin Ferris, Ecologist

A few years back in the spring, residents of South Hampton, NH found six dead deer in a suburban lot. Several biologists and a game warden then investigated the site and found six more. The deer had not been shot or killed by predators, nor had they starved or died of exposure. They had been fed to death. With their stomachs and digestive systems used to their winter diet of woody browse, a sudden bounty of corn from a well-meaning human can be a shock to the system, in this case resulting in fatal enterotoxemia.

This example is dramatic, perhaps even extreme, but it illustrates the potential consequences of feeding wildlife. Certainly, not every animal that gets fed by a human will inevitably suffer a gruesome and untimely death. All the same, it usually isn’t good for the wildlife, it might not be good for the aquatic environment or its human inhabitants, and in the vicinity of a lake or pond it can be extremely bad for the water. It is perfectly natural, even admirable, for people to want to help the wildlife that they share their surroundings with. Unfortunately, there are several major consequences to feeding wildlife that make anything more than a backyard bird feeder quite unhealthy for all involved.

In recognition of World Water Day (March 22), SOLitude Lake Management is pleased to announce the commencement of a new annual giving campaign aimed at providing impoverished families across the world with better access to clean water. For over two decades, SOLitude has been focused on improving access to clean, healthy water in the U.S. through sustainable management solutions. The annual campaign now allows SOLitude, and their clients, partners and local communities, to make a valuable impact throughout the rest of the world—with just the click of a button.

For every 30 new followers SOLitude receives across social platforms in 2019, the company will help provide an individual with a lifetime of

Written by Bob Revolinski, Aquatic Biologist and Regional Manager

2019 marked the start of my 36th year in the lake management industry. It’s a career that is constantly evolving, due to the vast number of variables associated with aquatic ecosystems. Every now and then, a novel and completely unexpected problem or species will appear, requiring the implementation of new and adaptive lake management strategies. One of my strangest encounters occurred about 15 years ago in Arizona, when I came across golden algae (Prymnesium parvum) for the first time.

Golden algae occur worldwide, but the first blooms identified in North America were confirmed in Texas in 1985. They arrived in Arizona around 2004 and then eventually appeared in California in 2013. In 2018, golden algae were reported in more than a dozen states!

For homeowners or communities with waterbodies, the lake or pond is often the most tranquil facet of your property, and water quality is one of the most important aspects of a healthy ecosystem. If water quality is compromised, it often leads to unsightly conditions and an unbalanced aquatic ecosystem. Though herbicides and algaecides can be important tools to utilize when control is needed for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) or invasive vegetation infestations, many property owners wish to avoid pesticide use around the home.

Thankfully, environmental planning companies are constantly evolving their proactive management solutions. New techniques, equipment and technologies are making managing your pond easier and more cost-effective to implement:

Written by Fisheries & Wildlife Scientist Daniel Hood

As a Fisheries and Wildlife Scientist who regularly travels to client properties, people often recognize me as an aquatic consultant at gas stations or while I’m parked getting lunch. Sometimes people will approach me to ask a question, and it tends to be the same one every time: “Hey, I have some weeds in my pond that have taken over in the past few years. What can I do to get rid of them?” It is a well-intentioned and welcome question, but often one which cannot be answered as quickly and simply as the inquirer expects. Aquatic weed control is a nuanced problem, and the best approach is usually influenced by many different variables. 

Lake and pond management professionals generally refrain from making recommendations until they have a chance to conduct an official aquatic weed survey. An onsite evaluation is the most direct, effective way to identify important physical factors within the waterbody, determine potential problem species, and consider the management goals of the property owner or community. Each of these variables is equally important in its own regard and require a

Written by Industry Expert Brea Arvidson, Aquatic Biologist

Regions across the US are waging war on invasive aquatic plants, with a particular focus on preserving water access and usage. Unless designed for a specific safety purpose, waterbodies are supposed to support aquatic biota, including plants. However, many of these invading species are often mistaken for native plants that are important for a balanced or natural ecosystem. How can pond owners, community associations, and recreational users distinguish between them? What signs help reveal that a plant is ‘invasive’?

Foremost, a large amount of growth in a confined area can be a primary indicator of an unbalanced plant community – often suggesting non-native or invasive growth. Dense growth removes open-water habitat or may decrease the potential species diversity a system can support. Understanding a balance of biota is also key to preserving or restoring an aquatic ecosystem.

Action towards awareness of invaders is also important. Questioning whether or not a species is supposed to be in the waterbody is a great step to take, especially when widespread or ‘new’ growth is present. New plant growth in a lake or pond may indicate the presence of an invasive species, potentially brought in by recreation, urban development or wildlife.

Written by Industry Expert David Riedl, Environmental Scientist

Not only are turf managers responsible for the land, but quite often are tasked with overseeing the maintenance of the waterbodies on the property as well. Pond maintenance, in combination with turf management, opens the door to a plethora of issues most turf managers might not know how to address. However, simply knowing how to identify a few types of aquatic vegetation within a waterbody can help turf managers maintain a healthy property.

Shoreline Vegetation 

The first type of vegetation turf managers should be aware of is shoreline vegetation. A few notable examples can cause stress to turf managers.