In order to create a pond management strategy that is ecologically sound and tailored to the particular needs of each site, water quality monitoring is essential. Because no two bodies of water are the same, no two humans are the same either. Ponds across the street from one other may have very differing physical and chemical features, even though they are just a few feet apart.
The Right system
Aeration systems, nutrient remediation treatments, and prescriptions for algae and aquatic weeds may all be used by expert lake managers to monitor the health of a waterbody and determine what each individual waterbody may require. In order to develop a site-specific management plan that is based on data collected rather than a lake manager’s gut instinct, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity, pH, nutrients levels, secchi depth and bacteria counts all play a role in the development of a management plan for a specific site.
It is important to note that lakes and ponds are part of an ever-changing environment
Both alkalinity and conductivity may stay constant over time, whereas pH and DO are factors that fluctuate during the day but may remain steady over the course of a year. Large-scale natural catastrophes often modify variables like as nutrient load and secchi depth.
- Both parameters may increase if a large volume of nutrient-rich sediment is delivered by a downpour, while material allowed to settle out over a dry spell may enhance the parameter values. Water quality must be monitored often in order to ensure that any site-specific pond management plan established in these dynamic situations maintains an ecologically balanced approach to any site-specific pond management plan.
- Sampling and testing may help managers and owners establish baselines for water quality, giving them a better understanding of the specific issues that might arise in a particular body of water. Alkalinity and conductivity in lakes and ponds serve as analogues for the yearly “physical” that each lake or pond should maintain. These figures don’t change greatly over time, like an adult’s height and weight.
For example, they may be created in response to a specific lake’s or pond’s water chemistry
Large variations in parameter values might suggest that something is out of balance, which could lead to an unhealthy lake. A treatment may be more effective as a result of a change in both of these features, depending on how well-maintained the pond or lake is. A variety of aquatic products used at varying rates will not perform the same manner in a variety of water conditions. In order to make an informed decision, the more knowledge you have about a product, the more likely it is to succeed.
Water System
Using water analysis, you may find out right away if a treatment system or aeration equipment is needed for a particular body of water and what the best course of action would be in that case. Dissolved oxygen levels determine which species of fish can thrive in a given environment, or whether any at all. The concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) is influenced by two factors: the amount of organic matter in the water and the temperature of the water. Due to high water temperatures in the summer, fish fatalities are most often caused by a lack of dissolved oxygen (DO). Aside from fish species and the effectiveness of algaecides and herbicides, pH may have an influence on the water quality.
