Written by industry expert Marc Bellaud, Director of Technical Services

As seen in Lakeline Magazine, a publication of the North America Lake Management Society (NALMS). NALMS' mission is to forge partnerships among citizens, scientists, and professionals to foster the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs for today and tomorrow. Founded in Portland, Maine in 1980, this organization has grown into one of the largest societies in the lake and pond industry.

Similar to what has occurred with technology, the science of applied lake management has evolved considerably over the past three decades. This evolution has occurred partly because of scientific advancements and partly out of need. Pressures from continued development, agricultural practices, climate change, greater recreational usage and increasing water demands are adversely impacting lakes at an accelerated rate. Fortunately, there is greater awareness of the challenges, and applied lake managers now have more tools at their disposal than ever before.

Lake management needs and solutions vary considerably depending on the type of waterbody, its uses, geographic location and the particular challenges it is facing. Many of the old axioms remain true. First, every lake and pond is different. This needs to be taken into account as lake management plans are being developed. Assessment, monitoring and even permitting requirements must be appropriate for the size and type of waterbody, and for the management strategy being proposed. Second, prevention is the most effective form of management. No one can dispute the concept that preventing a highly invasive aquatic plant like hydrilla from being introduced to a lake is more preferable than trying to manage it once it’s established, or that eliminating nutrient sources in the watershed is better than trying to control harmful algal blooms (HABs) once they develop in a nutrient-rich system. However, the unfortunate reality is many of our lakes have already been adversely impacted, and in-lake management is often needed to preserve desirable conditions and to prevent further deterioration.

SOLitude Lake Management has been named one of the 50 fastest growing companies in the Commonwealth by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. SOLitude was ranked 10th out of 50 companies recognized in 2020. 

SOLitude is an industry-leading environmental firm dedicated to providing sustainable solutions rooted in technological and scientific research and innovation. SOLitude has always focused on preserving the natural ecological balance of our freshwater ecosystems while providing clients with premium value and expertise in lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management.

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.

That's a wrap! What a year it has been. In honor of the new year, we gathered all of our educational articles and picked the top 10 most-viewed of 2019. Read our most popular articles covering toxic algae, aquatic weed control, fisheries and wildlife management and new innovations and technologies.

AS SEEN IN Pond Boss: Written by Fisheries Biologist David Beasley

One of the most amazing attributes of water is its ability to provide people with a sense of happiness. Regardless of upbringing, nearly all of us have something to gain in life by having access to a recreational lake or pond. Some people find enjoyment being surrounded by crystal clear water—the type of environment that entices people of all ages to jump in. Others find greater happiness with fertile, emerald water teeming with life as they spend hours trying to outsmart and entice hearty fish thriving beneath the surface. Likewise, there are some people who have a passion for waterbodies choked out with invasive vegetation, attracting a wide range of waterfowl with an all you can eat buffet.

Although lakes and ponds have a variety of water uses, each waterbody has natural characteristics and water quality that determine its clarity, vegetation coverage, productivity, and a plethora of biological and chemical influences. Water quality is a primary factor that determines how much effort it will take to transform and maintain the waterbody to meet your goals. As a result, a strategic plan for monitoring and manipulating water quality should be at the center of nearly all aquatic management strategies. 

After all, water is the medium. If your water isn’t healthy, your pond can’t be, either. If your waterbody is not meeting your aesthetic or recreational needs, it is fair to say that altering the water chemistry will likely increase the chances of success.

Two leading freshwater management companies have united under the SOLitude Lake Management® brand. Aquatic Systems, Inc. (ASI) was acquired by SOLitude in January 2019. All company service offerings and infrastructure were officially unified this month.

The rebranding of Aquatic Systems expands SOLitude's existing operations across 12 Florida offices. Outside of Florida, SOLitude manages aquatic resources in 35 states. SOLitude is the nation's largest freshwater management firm specializing in sustainable, proactive solutions for communities, golf courses, municipalities, commercial developers and private landowners.

Established in 1977, Aquatic Systems was an industry leading freshwater resource manager in Florida for over four decades. The company provided eco-friendly wetland and preserve management services, shoreline aquascaping and stabilization, water quality restoration, midge fly assessments, research, consulting and more.

Written by David Hammond, PhD and Gavin Ferris, Ecologist

Low doses of EarthTec QZ ionic copper used in effort to eradicate quagga mussels from an entire Pennsylvania lake

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771) and quagga mussels (D. rostriformis bugensis Andrusov, 1898), known collectively as dreissenid mussels, have established themselves as nuisance aquatic invasive species throughout many of the major watersheds of North America. The resulting environmental and economic damage have been extreme, earning them recognition among the continent’s most damaging aquatic invasive species (IUCN 2018; Western Governors’ Association 2018; Fetini 2010). Native to the Caspian Sea region of Eastern Europe, dreissenids were first detected in North America in 1985 in Lake St Clair (Claudi and Mackie 1994), which is located between Lake Huron and Lake Erie. In the subsequent 5 years they extirpated 12 species of native mussels by physically smothering and out- competing them for food (Nalepa et al. 1996). Other native mollusks also suffered massive reductions in range and population (Nalepa et al. 1996).

Economic impacts from invasive dreissenid mussels have been particularly severe in water treatment and power generation facilities, where prompt and effective protection against biofouling is often essential. Estimates of the economic impacts from invasive mussels vary widely, with several sources citing costs to the Great Lakes region in the range of

Written by Industry Expert Gavin Ferris, Ecologist 

Pond management experts are rarely asked to visit a lake or stormwater pond that is in good health. Though it is not a responsible practice, many property managers don’t call us until significant water quality problems have already appeared. I remember the first pond I was called to in my early days as a pond management professional. A neighborhood association was not able to host their annual fishing tournament because their 5-acre pond was completely covered in thick green filamentous algae. When I arrived, the first thing I noticed was a dozen bales of barley straw bobbing in the green slime. I’ve since had many clients tell me they tried this folk remedy for pond algae, but I’ve never seen it work.

In the years following that first site visit, I’ve seen lots of homegrown pond management efforts. Sometimes a jug of algaecide from the local farm store or manual removal of the offending vegetation is all that’s called for. But many times, these “do-it-yourself” (DIY) solutions go horribly wrong—and we get called in after a major fish kill or another avoidable catastrophe as a result.

AS SEEN IN Turf Magazine: Written by Shannon Junior, Ecologist

Herbicides and algaecides have traditionally been used to maintain balanced ecosystems in lakes and ponds—but wouldn’t it be exciting if there was a new technology or process that could totally revolutionize the way we approach environmental problems in our communities? Industry leaders have long understood that proactive, holistic management strategies are the key to achieve long-term balance in our aquatic environments; however, our toolbox of sustainable lake management solutions has not always grown at the same pace as our knowledge. That’s why we are so excited about recent advances in aquatic habitat restoration.

Lakes and stormwater ponds are often the biggest source of beauty in our communities, but without proper management these systems can quickly become eyesores that produce harmful algae and bad odors, lead to damaged and eroded shorelines, and result in displeased community members. Unfortunately, these issues often reach beyond the point of a quick fix by the time a professional lake manager gets called in to help implement a solution. This is regularly the case when we arrive onsite to look at an erosion issue on a lake or pond embankment. Rather than finding a few problematic patches of rock or soil, we discover steep, unstable banks, deep washouts and extensive bottom muck caused by years without an erosion control plan in place.

Erosion is a natural process caused by wind, rainfall, poor design, cultural impacts like mowing and recreation, or simply an aging aquatic ecosystem. These erosion issues are all exacerbated by human disturbance. Unfortunately, erosion can also negatively affect your lake, stormwater pond, canal or coastline by causing loss of habitat and property value, nutrient loading, reduced storage volume and waterbody depth, and excess runoff. When topsoil is displaced, stormwater pipes and structures can be exposed and damaged. Over time, erosion can lead to the formation of trenches and gullies that pose a serious danger to the public.