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AQUATIC PLANT MANAGEMENT (APM)

Aquatic Plant Management through an herbicide/algicide application is the most widely used method for reliable control of targeted plants and algae. It offers several advantages over other conventional methods of control. These advantages are as follows:

• Herbicide/algicide control is longer lasting than mechanical and manual methods of control such as harvesting or raking.
• Less labor and equipment are involved.
• Selective control of targeted species is possible.
• Areas deemed otherwise inaccessible can be treated.
• Herbicide/algicide control is more reliable as these materials act quickly and accurately to control their target species.
• Herbicides/algicides degrade or deactivate within a relatively short time period following the application. As a result, the chemicals do not disrupt the ecological balance but rather work to restore it.
• Since herbicides/algicides are non-persistent, no buildup will occur in the food chain.
• Long term cost through the use of herbicide/algicide treatment is ultimately considered less.
• A wide variety of herbicides and algicides are available to commercial applicators to control nearly all nuisance vegetation with minimal or non-existent water restrictions.

Our Lake Management Team consists of qualified commercial applicators that are licensed, experienced, safe, fully insured, and knowledgeable professionals prepared to treat your most valuable asset, your waterbody. Our staff of professionals are available to perform surveys and provide presentations and estimates for you.

The majority of our Aquatic Plant Management Services deals with the treatment of nuisance algae and weeds. To better understand and identify your specific needs, a brief overview of algae and weed treatments is described below.

ALGAE TREATMENTS

Algae is caused and accelerated mainly by nutrient loading of waterbodies. Nutrient loading can occur from outside sources such as run off from local farms, neighborhoods, nearby industrial sites, and/or fecal contamination by congregating waterfowl. Excess nutrients may already be present within the waterbody itself and re-circulation of these nutrients can lead to severe algae blooms.

As waterbodies age, this natural process of nutrient cycling and loading has resulted in many waterbodies experiencing high algae production. The algae blooms that occur require seasonal treatment maintenance to keep waterbodies free of growth and to maintain open-water areas. Not only is algae treated in waterbodies to enhance recreational use and aesthetics, but algae maintenance is important to fisheries. As water temperatures cool in the Fall, algae decays reducing the amount of available dissolved oxygen within the water. If this occurs too rapidly, a fish kill results. Excessive algae growth also stunts growth of fish as crowding decreases the size of their environment.

Growth becomes especially prolific in lakes/ponds with shallow depths. This is due to the decrease in water circulation resulting in stagnation, an overall increase in water temperature, and an increase in photosynthesis.

When developing a comprehensive algae treatment program, a good rule of thumb is as follows: lakes/ponds that experience severe and frequent algae blooms require an aggressive treatment plan which includes 5 to 6 or more full applications to the waterbody. Lakes/Ponds that experience somewhat frequent blooms require 4 to 5 lake/pond algae treatments dependent upon the severity of the blooms. Lakes/Ponds that experience less frequent blooms in which algae is easily treatable and blooms occur only monthly can opt for 3 to 4 partial lake/pond treatments or 2 to 3 partial lake/pond treatments. Lakes/Ponds that experience only one or two blooms a season, generally when water temperatures increase from heat waves, can be treated on an as needed basis.

Lakes/Ponds that experience significant algae growth or certain resistant forms of algae often benefit from an algae program that utilizes an algicide/herbicide combination. This combination reduces algal concentrations and offers relief to waterbodies that experience these types of blooms. This ?treatment combination? will prevent Filamentous and Planktonic algae blooms and help to maintain an aesthetically pleasing, fishery friendly, environmentally sound lake/pond environment.

If your waterbody experiences nuisance algae production, Natureworks can specifically tailor an algae treatment program for your lake or pond. Please contact us for more information.

WEED TREATMENTS

When discussing maintenance of vascular plants, we place plants into 2 categories: Native- beneficial species and Exotic- nuisance species. The plants that most commonly become problematic and require control measures are exotic species. Exotic plants do not serve any benefit or function. Exotic weed species are those not native to this country, brought to the United States as a result of the Aquarium Trade Industry. Consequently, nature’s system of checks and balances is eschewed. The natural balance must be maintained by man since the exotic plants have no natural predator in this environment to control their growth. As a result, their growth often expands exponentially and reaches nuisance levels in a short period of time. Herbicide treatment is the most effective management option for eradication and to restore a native habitat and beneficial ecosystem.

Vascular plants growth is enhanced and accelerated mainly by nutrient loading of waterbodies. Nutrient loading can occur from outside sources such as run off from local farms, neighborhoods, nearby industrial sites, and/or fecal contamination by congregating waterfowl. Excess nutrients may already be present in the waterbody itself and re-circulation of these nutrients can lead to severe vascular plant growth. As waterbodies age, this natural process of nutrient cycling and loading has resulted in many waterbodies experiencing excessive vascular plant growth.

Not only are waterbodies treated with herbicides to enhance recreational use and aesthetics, but maintenance is also important to fisheries. As temperatures cool in the Fall, weeds decay and consume the amount of available dissolved oxygen within the water. If this occurs to rapidly, a fish kill results. Excessive plant growth blocks the light to lower depths, crowds out the beneficial plants, and creates sediment build up, thereby, shallowing the waterbody, and stunts fisheries growth as crowding decreases the size of their environment.

Growth becomes especially prolific in lakes/ponds with shallow depths. This is due to the decrease in water circulation resulting in stagnation, an overall increase in water temperature, and an increase in photosynthesis of nuisance benthic, vascular plants as sunlight easily filters to lower depths where plants begin to grow.

A weed treatment program will prevent vascular plant growth and help to maintain an aesthetically pleasing, fishery friendly, and environmentally sound lake/pond environment. If you are experiencing nuisance weed growth in your waterbody, we can design a weed treatment plan for you to aid in the control of weed growth. Please contact us regarding this service.

Waterbody prior to Herbicide ApplicationWaterbody after Herbicide Application