Improve Your Lake's Water Quality with Nutrient Management

Nutrients may seem like an unexpected precipitator of poor conditions, but as they say, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Though nutrients are a building block of all aquatic life, excess concentrations of phosphorus can provide an overload of nourishment to pond weeds, algae, and dangerous cyanobacteria (commonly referred to as toxic algae or blue-green algae), accelerating their growth past normal levels.

One effective and long-lasting solution is aluminum sulfate. Alum is a safe, natural substance that professionals apply to the water using specially-designed boats, barges, and other advanced equipment. During the process, the substance mixes into the water where it chemically binds with phosphorus. The particles briefly remain suspended like a hazy cloud before descending to the bottom. Once settled, the phosphorus becomes inactive. When water quality conditions are more balanced, aquatic weed and algae growth are less likely to occur.

A similar solution that lakes and ponds can benefit from is the application of a lanthanum-modified clay that professionals refer to as Phoslock. When applied to the water, it binds with excess nutrients, chemically changing their composition to forms that better support balanced water quality conditions. It is also effective in “locking up” undesirable nutrients in the bottom sediments. This can result in a healthier, more beautiful waterbody.

Finally, for areas with flowing water like canals, streams, and ditches, professionals recommend strategies like nutrient filtration. During this process, porous filtering materials are placed in a sock-like bag. As water flows through the bags, phosphorus is captured and removed from the water column. Once the bag is full, it is pulled from the water for physical disposal.

Your lake and pond management professional may consider a number of factors when choosing which of these nutrient remediation products to implement. These may include your waterbody’s size, location, use, pH, nutrient load, dissolved oxygen concentration, muck level, and degree of water movement.

First, it’s important to introduce and maintain a beneficial vegetative buffer composed of native flowering species. These plants will absorb the excess nutrients and pollutants that typically flow into the water during rainstorms. Property managers should also encourage residents to adopt best practices like properly disposing of nutrient-rich trash, lawn clippings, and pet waste, reducing garden fertilizer use, and taking care around eroded shorelines. If sedimentation has become a significant problem along the bank, a complete shoreline restoration using bioengineered shoreline technology may be necessary.

Not only are these nutrient remediation products widely-available, they are considered all-natural. HOAs, golf courses, municipalities, and private property owners can find great success and value in integrating nutrient remediation strategies into their annual management programs. And nutrient remediation compliments many other sustainable solutions like aeration, mechanical hydro-raking, and biological augmentation that help your water resources stay in a healthier, more beautiful state for longer periods of time.