Seasonal Turf Practices and Your Pond

Dave Ellison, Aquatic Biologist

Landscaping practices often cause significant impacts on the water quality and plant and algae growth within a pond. Buffer management, debris falling into the pond, and poorly managed fertilizer applications are some of the practices that attribute to problems in ponds. Excessive application of fertilizer will allow for more nutrients to enter the pond, creating a source of energy for algae to grow.

When applying fertilizer you should make sure it is done responsibly to ensure that the product is utilized by the grass and not washed away. One of the first things that you should do is read the label on the product you are applying. Labels on fertilizer bags show three numbers. The first number lists the amount of nitrogen in the bag, the second is the amount of phosphorous, and the third lists the amount of potassium. A soil test could be performed to determine what fertilizer would work best for your lawn. Phosphorous free fertilizers often work well on most lawns. Phosphorous is often the growth limiting nutrient for algae and when lower amounts of phosphorous are present, algae typically has a difficult time growing.

Application of fertilizer does not have to be done to the edge of the water. Excess fertilizer will likely accumulate at the water’s edge and this can be avoided by using a rotary spreader to spread adequate amounts of fertilizer to the grasses near the edge of the pond. Application can often be done just once a year for many types of grasses with fall being the best time for application. This season is often best because the lawn will frequently need nutrients to recover from the stress of the summer months and the turf will be able to become stronger going in to the winter and the following year.

Many people like to apply fertilizer during the spring growing season, but this is not needed. Spring is often better to concentrate on the prevention of crabgrass and other weeds and your yard will thank you in the coming months. The fertilizer can sometimes get washed away and run off with spring rainfalls before grasses have established themselves for the growing season.

One of the most important things to remember is to prevent spills and spreading the product in to drains or ditches that flow into ponds. Runoff is a major source of nutrient input for ponds and the added input from fertilizer will further degrade the water quality in your pond. Responsible lawn practices are not only beneficial for your lawn, but also will prevent long term pond problems.

SŌLitude Lake Management® Welcomes Brent Weber – Environmental Scientist

SŌLitude Lake Management, an industry leader in lake and pond management, fisheries management and related environmental services for the mid-Atlantic and surrounding states, is pleased to welcome Brent Weber, Environmental Scientist, to their staff. Brent will be based in the Company’s Newport News, Virginia office and will be primarily responsible for lake and pond maintenance work in the Hampton Roads, Richmond, Central and Western Virginia Regions. He will help to serve SŌLitude’s ever-growing client base in these regions.

Brent brings a strong enthusiasm to the SŌLitude team that will surely carry over to his clients and his work. He graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. degree in Integrated Science and Technology with a concentration in Environment, coupled with a minor in Environmental Science. While at James Madison University, his studies and projects surrounded ecological conservation, sustainability, and the preservation of the Shenandoah Valley’s natural resources – especially as they relate to water systems. Brent’s senior thesis project involved the study and construction of a 425 sq. ft. green roof on campus, and still stands as a valuable learning resource for other students. As a student, Brent was active in the Environmental Management Club, and also volunteered with the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Brent grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia, and has always been interested in nature and ecology. He has past experience in landscaping and horticulture, and has served as a groundsman for an arborist company.

SŌLitude Lake Management is a leading lake and pond management company offering everything to maintain aquatic features. They provide lake, pond and fisheries management programs, algae and aquatic weed control, installation of fountains and aeration systems, bathymetry, lake vegetation studies, habitat assessments, nuisance wildlife management and more. They currently serve Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey & New York with Fisheries Management and Aquatic products being available nationwide.

SŌLitude Lake Management® Welcomes John Phelps – Environmental Scientist

SŌLitude Lake Management, an industry leader in lake and pond management, fisheries management and related environmental services for the mid-Atlantic and surrounding states, is pleased to welcome John Phelps, Environmental Scientist, to their staff. A welcomed addition to their ever-growing presence in Pennsylvania and the Delmarva Region, John joins the SŌLitude team as the Regional Manager for the Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey and will be based in Avondale, PA.

John Phelps has more than a decade of experience with Water and Land Management throughout the tri-state area. After graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning, John went on to serve as the Environmental Wetland Specialist for Mercer County New Jersey’s Mosquito Control Division. While there, John managed the Division’s water-management program undertaking multiple stormwater management enhancement projects, including fish stocking and beaver-control projects with NJDEP Fish & Wildlife and working with various Home Owners Associations to resolve poor-drainage issues. In 2006, John moved on from his civil servant duties to become an Environmental Scientist/Pennsylvania Sewage Enforcement Office in the private sector. John furthered his professional training by completing the Rutgers University Wetland Delineation Program and the Penn State Hydric and Advanced Soil Courses. John worked on major land-development projects involving stream realignments, which required United States Army Corps of Engineer Joint Permits, macro invertebrate studies and wetland mitigation. John has also been a team member for Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species Surveys, like the Bog Turtle and Spadefoot Toad, and has conducted many wetland delineations as well as local, state and federal environmental-impact permit applications.

Just prior to joining SOLitude, John managed Stormwater Facility Compliance Programs for JCM Environmental and then for Landmark Engineering, two leading environmental and engineering companies in Delaware. Spotlight projects include sediment forebay installation to modify an existing basin, sand filter and bio-retention basin remediation and 2-acre mitigation installation.

SŌLitude Lake Management is a leading lake and pond management company offering everything to maintain aquatic features. They provide lake, pond and fisheries management programs, algae and aquatic weed control, installation of fountains and aeration systems, bathymetry, lake vegetation studies, habitat assessments, nuisance wildlife management and more. They currently serve Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey & New York with Fisheries Management and Aquatic products being available nationwide.

Year-round Fountains

Your fountain is one of the greatest assets to your pond and community. It provides an attractive display of water and lights year-round while also providing your pond with essential aeration and circulation. As you get further north where temperatures tend to be much lower in the winter season, ponds freeze much faster and the ice gets much thicker. This colder weather can prevent the year-round benefits of running the fountain. Many communities even have to remove their fountains from the water until warmer conditions return.

In theory, if a fountain continues to operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the water around and under the fountain would never freeze because it would be constantly moving. In practice, this can sometimes be just too risky. If the wind blows one direction for an extended period, ice could start to form. A plastic bag, leaves, or debris, can clog the fountain and impair the output enough to let the encroaching ice solidify and damage the motor seals. These possibilities and other rare events can make running the fountain in the winter a possible liability.

There is one solid and tested solution for keeping a fountain running through the bitter months of winter regardless of how cold it gets. Bottom diffused aeration systems make a perfect companion to a fountain. These aeration systems transport air from a land-based compressor to diffuser disks placed at the bottom of a pond. They then produce a conical stream of bubbles vertically approaching the surface. When placed directly under a fountain, this constant stream of air will prevent the water directly around the fountain from freezing all winter. This coupling of aeration systems will keep your beautiful fountain running all year long, and will also provide a dramatic increase in water quality due to the supplemental benefits of bottom diffused aeration. In a sense, “You can have your cake and eat it too!”

By: Greg Blackham, Aquatic Specialist, SOLitude Lake Management

What’s that Snake in the Water?

By Shannon Junior, Aquatic Ecologist

Back in the days when I worked for a pond construction company, one of my crew members told me that he needed some help identifying a snake that they had found on the job site. He said it was a water snake, and thought it was a cottonmouth. I asked if he had taken pictures of it, but instead he presented me a burlap bag with the snake inside. Its head was smashed, and its body had been neatly cut into several pieces with the blade of a shovel. As an ecologist and lover of wildlife, the site of the demolished snake left me heartbroken and speechless. It was a large, beautiful and HARMLESS northern watersnake. All I could think of to say was, “That is NOT the way to identify a snake!”

This case of mistaken identity is not unusual. There are some very vague similarities in coloration and pattern between northern watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) and cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus), and they also somewhat resemble copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix). However, when seen side-by-side, the snakes do not actually look that similar. And unlike cottonmouths and copperheads, Northern watersnakes are non-venomous and harmless to humans if left alone. Unfortunately, though, misidentification results in more watersnakes being killed each year than venomous snakes.

Unless you live in the southeastern corner of Virginia near the Dismal Swamp or farther south, then it is unlikely that you will see a cottonmouth in the wild. They are not found in other parts of Virginia or anywhere farther north. These venomous semi-aquatic snakes are also known as “water moccasins”. When threatened or harassed, they will coil up and open their mouths wide to expose their fangs and the white interior of their mouths, which is why they were given the name “cottonmouth” - although hopefully you will not have the opportunity to witness this phenomenon up close! Again, though, they only exhibit this behavior when approached, and would much prefer to use their venom for hunting prey than for defending themselves against humans.

The other unfortunate look-alike for the northern watersnake is the copperhead. However, copperheads are terrestrial snakes, and prefer upland habitats such as rocky, forested areas to aquatic habitats. Their range is more widespread than that of the cottonmouth, and they are found throughout most of the eastern U.S. as far north as Massachusetts. Copperheads are responsible for many of the snakebites to humans reported each year, but they are rarely fatal. Most bites occur when people accidentally step on or touch the snakes because they are so well camouflaged with their surroundings. When disturbed, copperheads emit a musk that smells like cucumbers.

Northern watersnakes are not venomous or aggressive. They are beautiful! They are brownish-gray snakes with broad blotches and crossbands on their backs with varying degrees of red, yellow, and white. The juveniles are brightly colored, but the colors become more subdued as the snakes age. They are frequently seen basking on rocks or stumps near lakes, rivers and streams. They are active both during the day and at night, and eat small fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and even small mammals. They have been known to “herd” tadpoles with their body and eat them. They will flee from confrontation if given the chance, but may bite repeatedly if cornered. The bite will bleed a lot because of the anticoagulant saliva, but is not poisonous. Again, though, even a cute little chipmunk will bite a human to defend itself!

Watersnakes can be easily distinguished from cottonmouths and copperheads by the shape of their heads. The poisonous snakes have triangular shaped heads that are much wider than their “necks”, whereas the watersnake has a round head that’s narrower than its body. Cottonmouths and copperheads are pit vipers, and have discernable pits on top of their noses – though you might not want to get close enough to observe that characteristic! The venomous snakes also have yellow eyes with vertical slits for pupils, similar to cats’ eyes. Watersnakes have round eyes with round pupils. And when seen in the water, a cottonmouth swims with most of its back protruding from the water, while the watersnake swims with only its head visible.

If you are lucky enough to see a snake in or near the water, it is most likely a northern watersnake. The best thing to do is to quietly observe it from a distance if you’re interested, or walk the other way if you’re scared. It will not chase you or strike at you unless it feels threatened. And always remember, the best way to learn about wildlife is to arm yourself with knowledge, not the tip of a shovel!

SŌLitude Lake Management® Welcomes Brad Harris and Announces Raleigh, North Carolina Location

SŌLitude Lake Management celebrated the opening of its new Raleigh, North Carolina office in 2011. With an ever-growing presence and client base in the North Carolina market, SŌLitude found it necessary to expand their business to include an operation center in Central North Carolina. This will enable the firm to better serve clients in the region as well as neighboring areas of Virginia.

To serve the growing client base in the North Carolina Region, SŌLitude Lake Management® welcomes Brad Harris, Forestry Biologist, who will act as the Regional Manager for the North Carolina Region. Brad was educated at Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks, New York and NC State University where he studied Forest Management. After college, Brad pursued a career in the landscape industry where he began as a laborer and worked his way to managing a multi-million dollar landscape maintenance division. He became stormwater BMP in 2008, which sparked his interest in water quality. Brad embraces the significance of working with property owners and managers to help protect, restore and maintain watersheds, BMP’s, ponds and lakes. His work ethic and philosophy will be an asset to the SŌLitude staff and to all who have the pleasure to work with him.

All of the "scoop" on Blue-Green Algae!

If you are a science fanatic like most of the SŌLitude Lake Management staff, then you will really enjoy this “fact sheet” about Blue-Green Algae aka Cyanobacteria. Click here to unlock a world of knowledge!