Written by Industry Expert Glenn Sullivan, Environmental Scientist

The only known Water Soldier infestation in North America...

Canada’s Trent-Severn Waterway provides a link between Lake Ontario in the southeast and Georgian Bay in the northwest, allowing boat navigation for its entire 240- mile length through a system of rivers and lakes, and 41 locks. Water Soldier (Stratoides aloides), an invasive aquatic plant that forms impenetrable mats on the water surface, infested an area of approximately 700 acres within the Trent-Severn Waterway. The infestation was first reported in the Trent River, in September of 2008, and is considered the only known Water Soldier infestation in all of North America.

Written by Industry Expert Emily Walsh, Environmental Scientist 

If you own or manage a lake or pond, you’ve likely heard of hydro-raking as a unique management tool utilized by aquatic professionals to remove aquatic vegetation. A hydro-rake is essentially a floating barge supporting a mounted backhoe and rake attachment that can remove up to 500 pounds of lake and pond muck, aquatic plant material and organic debris in a single scoop.

Written by Industry Expert Josh Perry, Environmental Scientist

Do you know what costs homeowner’s associations, small communities and government agencies over 120 billion dollars annually? The answer is invasive species. Far beyond the monetary costs, invasive species create unsightly, unbalanced and unhealthy aquatic ecosystems. Unfortunately, human activity is responsible for most infestations. Whether you’re a part of a lake community, live near a stormwater pond or even own a decorative backyard water garden, we all play pivotal roles in spreading—but also preventing—invasive aquatic species.

Bladderwort (Utricularia spp.) is a genus of carnivorous aquatic plants consisting of more than 200 species. The submersed free-floating plants utilize bladder-like traps (0.2mm-1.2cm) to capture small prey, including mosquito larvae. Hundreds of traps cover the plant’s 4- to 10-inch stem, which can be topped by yellow or lavender flowers.

AS SEEN IN CAI New England: Written by Industry Expert Kara Sliwoski, Aquatic Biologist 

Despite the beauty, recreational space and natural wildlife habitats that our nearby waterbodies provide, lakes and ponds are often plagued by various ailments that can detract from the aesthetics, health, and functionality of their aquatic ecosystems. The following are a few responses to common questions often asked by those interested in lake and pond management.

Why is our pond green?
Without proper water quality testing and analysis, it can be difficult to determine the exact causes behind a green pond. The green you’re seeing may be algae. While algae look similar to some aquatic plants,

Written by Industry Expert Brea Arvidson, Aquatic Biologist

What’s purple and green, with a little white flower? Fanwort: it’s a competitive aquatic plant that grows in dense mat-forming patches. Its submersed leaves are its name-sake — dissected into a thin, flat fan-shaped display. The submersed leaves grow approximately 5 cm across and appear in opposite pairings on the stem. Small, diamond-shaped floating leaves are sometimes present at maturity, growing up to 3 cm long, but only 4 mm wide. The 3-petaled flower is inconspicuous and typically blossoms right at the water’s surface.

To date, fanwort occurs in 28 U.S. states, of which 12 

Written by Industry Expert Amanda Mahaney, Aquatic Biologist

Agawam Mill Pond, located in Wareham, Massachusetts, is a 150-acre waterbody owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is managed by the MA Division of Fish and Wildlife (MA DFG). It is used heavily for recreational activities, such as boating, fishing and swimming, and supports moderate residential development. The pond has an average depth of six to eight feet with a maximum depth of twelve feet; therefore, emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation has the capability to flourish, rapidly expanding into dense colonies. Currently, the invasive, non-indigenous submersed vegetation (fanwort and variable watermilfoil) has inundated the pond causing a decline in water quality and has severely limited recreational activities for residents and guests.

AS SEEN IN CAI ROCKY MOUNTAIN: Written by Industry Expert Shannon Junior, Aquatic Ecologist and Senior Business Development Consultant

There are few events that can occur in a community pond that cause the amount of anxiety and uproar among the residents as a fish kill. Sure, we get plenty of calls about lake and pond algae blooms and clogged fountains and excessive trash, but nothing creates the level of panic that ensues when there are dead fish floating on the surface of the water. Many residents become concerned that there may have been a toxic spill or illegal dumping incident, or they think that the landscaping company must have used something on the surrounding property that killed the fish. In reality though, most fish kills occur not because of a poisonous substance, but because of low dissolved oxygen conditions in the water.

AS SEEN IN Virginia Turfgrass: Written by Industry Expert Trent Nelson, Aquatic Specialist

It’s not uncommon for irrigation pond managers to invest thousands on irrigation pumps, water quality tests, beneficial submersed aeration systems, and floating fountains, but it’s rare to find a manager who establishes and uses a comprehensive lake management plan. Often times, this apprehension is based on a misunderstanding of lake and pond management and how herbicides and algaecides could potentially have a negative impact on the waterbody from improper treatment. I’m here to set the record straight, and let you know that with the proper choice of a product, application style and timing, algaecides and herbicides can greatly enhance the effectiveness of an irrigation pond management program, while working in conjunction with proactive, sustainable solutions.

Many turf and golf managers fear that aquatic herbicide and algaecide treatments will damage their greens and the surrounding ornamentation, and put a hold on their irrigation water usage. These concerns are valid; shutting down an irrigation system for more than a day or two can be virtually impossible, especially during the growing season. But without proper herbicide and algaecide usage, an irrigation lake could experience more harm than good. If algae and aquatic weeds are allowed to grow and mature, this vegetation can enter irrigation intakes, clogging pipes and pumps and preventing irrigation systems from running properly. In the end, the headache of shutting down an irrigation system to fix a broken pipe or clear nuisance vegetation from a drain will often outweigh the inconvenience of scheduled beneficial treatments.

Lakes, ponds and reservoirs can provide drinking water, irrigation and space for year-round recreation, but it’s common for these waterbodies to develop algae blooms, especially during the heat of the summer. While many species of pond algae are harmless, Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are becoming more prevalent as a result of increased nutrient runoff from commercial developments, industrial parks, livestock farms and agricultural facilities. 

When directly exposed to toxic algae species like cyanobacteria, which is often referred to as blue-green algae, humans and animals can experience liver and kidney toxicity, skin rashes, nervous system problems, respiratory complications and even death. Toxic algae blooms are also known to cause undesirable tastes and odors in drinking water from affected waterbodies.