Top 4 Things You Need for Lake Management Setup

Managing a lake can be a big undertaking. Not to worry, you are a boss and with these 4 key items you will be well on your way to being a pro. Let's get to it!

1. Shape and Size – Lakes can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and knowing you lake’s unique configuration will help in starting your lake setup. Starting with shape: Is your lake circular or rectangular? Is it long and narrow? Does it have any bends? All of these are important questions to ask to determine your lake setup. Next, is to determine size. You will be looking for your overall volume and depth. If your lake varies in depth, take note in the average depth of your lake at its deeper sections and an average depth of the lake in its more shallow areas. Volume in lake management is typically determined in acre-feet, which is a volume measurement of the water that would cover one acre at one foot of depth. If you know your lake’s size in feet, use this formula to determine your lake’s volume in acre-feet:

2. Aeration – Here is a key component that provides a numerous benefits to a lake’s ecosystem. Aeration introduces dissolved oxygen into a lake that supports fish, plants, and other wildlife that thrive on the health of your lake’s water quality. Aeration helps promote the continuation of the naturally occurring nitrogen cycle. As an added bonus, aeration helps move the surface of the water reducing the likelihood of mosquito populations increasing around your lake. Aeration comes in two forms: sub surface and surface fountains. Sub surface aeration is going to be the most beneficial to lake environments moving bubbles of air from the base of your lake upward. Surface fountains provide an ornamental option that will introduce dissolved oxygen to the surface of the water. This can be a great option to use in conjunction with sub surface aeration or in a more shallow lake.
3. Water Treatments – These components can be customized based on your lake’s unique needs. Know if your lake suffers from green water, murky color, and/or sludge buildup at the base of your pond. pond boss® PRO offers a variety of water treatment solutions to bring balance to your lake’s water quality. One of the unique products from pond boss is The Block™ that can be used every 90 days as a simple bio-maintenance plan. Also available from our PRO line are Water Clarifier and Algaecide/Bactericide.
4. Introduction Period – You are almost there. Now that you know your lake’s unique characteristics and have aeration and water treatment solutions selected, you can implement your new system. Aeration should be slowly introduced by turning on for 15 minutes the first day of use and doubling the amount of time every day for a week until the system can be left on 24/7.