Aquatic weeds and algae can be hard to eliminate as they are merely a symptom of more systemic water quality issues – in particular, a surplus of nutrients in the waterbody. Warm weather combined with excess nutrients can create imbalances that make lakes and ponds more susceptible to weeds and algae. These imbalances can be further exacerbated by depleted dissolved oxygen levels, poor circulation, and erosion.

Nutrients commonly enter lakes and ponds through stormwater runoff that picks up pollutants, lawn clippings, animal waste, and eroded shoreline sediment. Nutrients are released as these materials break down. If these problems are allowed to continue for too long, property owners and managers will have to turn to more reactive solutions like mechanical harvesting or EPA-registered herbicides and algaecides to eliminate nuisance growth. Though they do not address the root cause, these are often the quickest and most cost-effective strategies to quickly remove nuisance growth, and introduce an annual management program from a “clean slate.”

Proactive management begins with in-depth water quality testing to identify water quality imbalances before they manifest. After establishing a baseline, professionals continue monitoring to spot changes and take action early on. Dissolved oxygen is essential to a healthy waterbody, so fountains and aerators are often the next step. Fountains circulate and oxygenate lakes and ponds from the surface, while submersed aerators pump oxygen-rich bubbles from the bottom. In tandem, they work to restore balance to the water column.

To target excess and unwanted nutrients directly, products such as Phoslock, Alum, or EutroSORB can be used to “deactivate” or remove them from the water column. This approach typically yields long-lasting results as long as steps are taken to prevent future runoff.

This is where shoreline management comes in. Native plants introduced around the water’s perimeter can help slow runoff and filter out pollutants. They also help contain soil along the bank to prevent erosion. If a shoreline is too impaired, bioengineering materials and techniques can be used to rebuild it for years of erosion protection.