Your Waterbody is Always Changing, Keep Up with an Annual Management Plan
Nature is not stagnant. Just as the environment undergoes a natural cycle of birth, aging and dying, your waterbody experiences a similar transformation year over year. Without a dedicated management plan in place, this circle of life can bring forth recurring invasive aquatic vegetation, toxic algae, foul odors, fish kills and more each growing season. Property owners with the desire to prevent water quality problems year-round and ultimately reduce their waterbody’s reliance on herbicides and algaecides should consider establishing an annual management plan for their freshwater resources.
Like all living things, lakes and ponds age. Pollutants like sewage discharge and fertilizer runoff can speed up the aging process by introducing excess nitrogen and phosphorous to a waterbody. This nutrient pollution can diminish the natural health and beauty of a waterbody, jeopardize human and animal health and destroy valuable ecosystems. Year-round management plans are an effective method to slow the aging process. Annual plans are put in place with the objective of creating a healthy, balanced and beautiful ecosystem.
Sampling Water Quality for Lakes and Ponds
Through an annual management plan, lake and pond owners are able to identify and achieve long-term solutions to water quality challenges using an array of professional strategies. Just as no two waterbodies are chemically alike, no two maintenance plans are exactly the same. To design a personalized management plan, a freshwater management professional typically conducts water quality tests, analyzing the waterbody’s unique needs in relation to the owner’s personal goals – whether it’s to create a weed- and algae-free spot for swimming and recreation, a thriving fishery for family outings, or a beautiful, mosquito-free ecosystem to enjoy from the porch each evening. The insights gained from comprehensive water quality testing are used to establish a baseline of overall water health and to create a proactive, personalized and ecologically-balanced management plan.
Benefits of a Lake Aeration System
Unlike sporadic treatments, which are often completed when a problem has already been identified, annual management plans are proactive, focusing on holistic prevention of an aquatic ecosystem before problems can even appear. A critical tool in the proactive management of a body of water is aeration. Increased dissolved oxygen and water circulation can be encouraged by a fountain or submersed aerator, which, in turn, can help improve the growth of fish and reduce the accumulation of sediment at the bottom of the waterbody, which is one of the most common signs of an aging pond. Likewise, more premium aeration alternatives like nanobubble technology can be used to eliminate algae and destroy the dangerous toxins caused by Harmful Algal Blooms. Nanobubble systems deliver 79,000x more oxygen to a waterbody than traditional systems—and the results can last 2-3 months or more.
Custom Shoreline Restoration
Additionally, the cultivation of a beneficial vegetative buffer around a lake or pond can prevent erosion and the accumulation of sediment along the edge of a waterbody. When native plants are allowed to take root, they help stabilize delicate shorelines and filter trash, leaves, grass clippings, fertilizers and other debris that can cause excessive nutrient spikes in a lake or pond. Buffers can be extremely effective at limiting nutrient loading when used in conjunction with other shoreline restoration tools. These include premium options like SOX—a patented knitted mesh technology—as well as other solutions like rip rap and coconut coir logs. Each of these erosion control solutions can be completely customized to meet the aesthetic, functional and budgetary goals of your property.
Create a Healthy Lake with an Annual Lake Management Plan
In addition to comprehensive water quality testing, aeration, and shoreline buffer management, an annual management plan can include other sustainable and professional strategies, like mosquito control, biological augmentation or sediment removal. With the proper foresight and professional expertise, property owners can delay and even avoid enormous costs that are often associated with pond dredging and nutrient remediation. Those funds can be used elsewhere on the property or within a homeowners association, and lake and pond owners can rest easy knowing their waterbodies are receiving the very best care—all year long.
Who We Are
Contact Us to Develop Your Annual Management Plan
SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty, preserve natural resources and reduce our environmental footprint. SOLitude’s team of aquatic resource management professionals specializes in the development and execution of customized lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management programs that include water quality testing and restoration, nutrient remediation, algae and aquatic weed control, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, bathymetry, shoreline erosion restoration, mechanical harvesting and hydro-raking, lake vegetation studies, biological assessments, habitat evaluations, and invasive species management. Services and educational resources are available to clients nationwide, including homeowners associations, multi-family and apartment communities, golf courses, commercial developments, ranches, private landowners, reservoirs, recreational and public lakes, municipalities, drinking water authorities, parks, and state and federal agencies. SOLitude Lake Management is a proud member of the Rentokil Steritech family of companies in North America
