They say procrastination is the thief of time. In lake and pond management, delaying action can diminish the value of your waterbody. When taking a more reactive approach instead of proactive, the negative impact is felt by all stakeholders.
For property managers, it shifts attention from community improvements towards complaints. For golf course superintendents, it shifts focus from delivering excellent player experiences to troubleshooting preventable waterbody issues. For private or public lakes, it means less time spent making memories fishing, swimming, or boating with friends and family.
The Cost of Delaying Lake Management
Most lake and pond problems don’t appear overnight; they develop over months or years. It can be easy to ignore early warning signs, like a receding shoreline or gradual muck accumulation. However, by the time issues become obvious, the damage is already done. What could’ve been a proactive fix, turns into reactive decisions, hoping for instant results.
The Financial Impact of Delayed Action
Reactive management involves addressing symptoms with short-term fixes, such as using algaecides to temporarily control toxic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), or applying blue dye to mask a pond’s poor water clarity. Without addressing the root cause, problems only compound, along with the cost of delaying action
In fact, studies estimate that homes adjacent to lakes with frequent cyanobacteria blooms sell for 22% less than those on clear lakes(1). Others have found that a 3-foot decrease in water clarity may result in a loss of nearly $700 per foot of shoreline frontage(2).
Delayed Action Limits Your Options
Reactive management also limits your options. What was once a wide range of proactive solutions, quickly narrows to a few urgent and expensive fixes, reducing flexibility and forcing rushed decisions.
For example, introducing native vegetation to help slow erosion is significantly more manageable than rebuilding a collapsed shoreline. Using aeration or nutrient management strategies to promote an environment that’s more resilient to muck build-up is a healthier and more cost effective approach, as opposed to dredging.
Don’t wait until you find yourself facing drastic decisions, such as whether to address a degraded waterbody, risking fines or property damage, or to prioritize essential needs of everyday life. Too often, the only way to handle these situations is by raising dues, taxes or increasing visitor rates.
A Proactive Approach to Long-Term Lake Management
Our SOL Pro Annual Management Plans are designed to make the unpredictable, predictable. Instead of being reactive to problems, our structured approach focuses on early detection, so imbalances can be corrected before they escalate. This means fewer disruptions, less stress, and more time for the people who use and enjoy the body of water.
The financial impact of healthy waterbodies is significant. Across the U.S., a ten percent (10%) improvement in water quality could translate into an increase of $6 to $9 billion in lakefront property value(3). There is no better time than the present to get started and set yourself up for success. Take care of your waterbody now while you still have options, rather than waiting until you don’t.
Sources:
1 Bloom and bust: Toxic algae’s impact on nearby property values | Ecological Economics
2 Lakeshore Property Values and Water Quality | Mississippi Headwaters Board, Bemidji State University
3 Valuing water quality in the United States using a national dataset on property values
How to Achieve Clean, Healthy Ponds
SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty and preserve natural resources.
SOLitude’s team of aquatic scientists specializes in the development and execution of customized lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management programs. Services include water quality testing and restoration, algae and aquatic weed control, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, shoreline erosion control, muck and sediment removal and invasive species management. SOLitude partners with homeowners associations, golf courses, private landowners, businesses and municipalities. SOLitude Lake Management is part of Rentokil, a leading business services company, operating across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
For more information, visit SOLitude Lake Management at solitudelakemanagement.com, and connect on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
