Pets and Ponds: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By Gavin Ferris, Ecologist

There can be a cost to doing a job too well. At its core, a stormwater basin only needs to absorb and slowly release excess runoff, and need not be pretty, attractive, or biodiverse. To be as valuable an asset to the community as possible, however, it needs to be all of these things, and it is our job as pond managers to make these facilities function both as stormwater retention devices and as idyllic natural settings. While a well-maintained stormwater pond may indeed also be a beautiful habitat for wildlife and an aesthetic pleasure, it still poses certain hazards that pet owners should be aware of.

Any natural setting contains certain dangers that pet owners need to mitigate when enjoying time outdoors with their dog, especially when bodies of water are involved. Water may be deeper than expected, and even strong swimming dogs can be imperiled by strong currents. Debris may also be hidden beneath the surface that can injure or entangle a swimming pooch. A pond designed for stormwater maintenance may also include drains and underwater structures that could pose additional hazards. These drains can be especially dangerous as draining water may be too swift to swim against, and may pull your dog under. Storm-swollen ponds are going to be particularly turbulent as water is rushing in from the neighborhood and out through the drainage structures. While your pond may be beautiful, it is best to save the swimming for the beach or an area set aside for safe dog swimming, like a retriever training area.

It is also best not to treat your pond as a giant water dish while taking Fido for a walk. Human-caused pollutants like spilled automotive chemicals and residential pesticides are one concern, but a more likely danger is coliform bacteria. High populations of Canada geese in suburban neighborhoods mean that the ponds frequented by waterfowl and areas downstream of dropping-laden fields are likely to have dangerously high coliform bacteria counts, and should not be treated as potable, even for your pets. True, wildlife drink from these ponds all the time, but domestic pets do not have the constitution of wild animals, and if their digestive systems are irritated by contaminated water, guess who gets stuck scrubbing the carpets? You do. So if you think your dog might need a drink during your stroll around the pond, bring a water bottle. Female dogs can also develop urinary tract infections from exposure to contaminated water; one more reason not to let them swim in the storm basin.

While we’re on the subject, it’s worth considering the wildlife that may be around the pond and the impact they may have on your pet’s health. First, ponds are often home to aquatic mammals like muskrats, nutria, beaver, and other critters that swim in the water like frogs and ducks. If your dog is anything like mine, such a target may be irresistible, and an unleashed canine may charge headlong into the water in pursuit of this perceived invader. As previously discussed, this may create a dangerous situation in and of itself, and adding a frightened wild animal with claws and teeth into the mix does nothing to make it less so. Ponds are also attractive places for raccoons to visit, and raccoons are the country’s #1 vector of rabies. Good leash control and diligent maintenance of a vaccination schedule are vitally important to a dog’s health and safety in a natural area.

Diseases other than rabies can be contracted when out in nature as well. Mosquitoes can carry heartworm, which if left untreated will be fatal to a dog. A more recent development is the increase in Lyme disease in the mid-Atlantic region. The exclusion of natural predators and hunters from residential areas has led to an explosion in the deer population, which has, in turn, led to high numbers of disease-vectoring ticks. Your pond is a water source for wildlife, and the vegetation around it a source of food and cover, meaning that deer will frequent that area more than others and the risk of picking up a tick is increased. Lyme can be fatal to dogs, so please consult your veterinarian about Lyme vaccines to protect your canine companion as well as flea and tick treatments and heartworm preventative medication.

You may have noticed that in this discussion about pets I have only talked about dogs. Cats are also prone to the same hazards around a pond, and should also be vaccinated against rabies and other transmissible diseases, protected by flea and tick prevention, and kept away from wild animals and hazardous areas. Unlike with a leashed dog, this is very difficult to achieve with a cat, and so, if you’ll excuse my soapboxing for a minute, cats should live inside. There is an environmentalist argument for this, in that free-ranging housecats kill billions of native songbirds and small mammals every year, but it is also for the cat’s own good. While it is true that large predators are unlikely to be in your neighborhood, we do have plenty of foxes, owls, hawks, and even coyotes in some areas. I have personally found cat bones in owl pellets, tabby cat fur in coyote droppings, and once found a cat’s remains in a hawk’s nest. I apologize for my stark tone, but when I find such evidence I am struck with the thought that this may have been some child’s pet and only wish to prevent future incidents. The only way to keep your cats safe from teeth and talons is to keep them inside. If you give in to their desire to roam free, you must be aware that someday they may not come back.

Please do not let me frighten you away from enjoying the natural beauty of your neighborhood pond or other green space. Nature is indeed a joy to experience for us and for our pets. One needs to recognize that nature also demands respect, and that remembering our boundaries maintains safety for ourselves, our pets, and our wild neighbors. In my experience, this respect and appreciation of the independence of nature makes time afield all the more enjoyable, and I wish only the same for you. Have fun, and stay safe.

 

 

Gavin Ferris is an Ecologist with SOLitude Lake Management. Since 1998, SOLitude Lake Management has been committed to providing full service lake and pond management services that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Services are available in VA, NC, SC, MD, DE, PA, WV, NJ and NY. Fisheries management consulting and aquatic products are available nationwide. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at www.solitudelakemanagement.com.

 

Contact the experts at 888-480-LAKE (5253) for all of your lake, pond and fisheries management needs.

 

2013 PotashCorp Fish Back Open Team Tournament

 

Join SOLitude Lake Management and our trusted partner, Fishiding, as we support the 2013 PotashCorp Fish Back Open Team Tournament on June 8 and 9 at Wildwood Park in Appling, GA. Be sure to register by June 4 for the opportunity to win the $12,000 first place prize!

Come out and support all of the teams and this great event that benefits the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance and local youth angler teams. And help us raise conservation awareness!

Good luck to all of the fishing teams this year!

 

For more info, visit the tournament's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Potashcorp-Annual-Fish-Back-Tournament/240030552808990?hc_location=stream

 

Fishiding offers an array of habitat options for virtually all environments and aquatic species. Beginning with reclaimed PVC vinyl material, habitat models designed to not only provide shelter in a snag free structure, but provide maximum surface area to convert nutrients into fish food. www.fishiding.com

 

Since 1998, SOLitude Lake Management has been committed to providing full service lake and pond management services that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Our services include lake, pond and fisheries management programs, algae and aquatic weed control, installation of fountains and aeration systems, water quality testing and restoration, bathymetry, lake vegetation studies, habitat assessments and nuisance wildlife management. Lake and pond management services are available in VA, NC, SC, MD, DE, PA, WV, NJ & NY. Fisheries management consulting and aquatic products are available nationwide. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at www.solitudelakemanagement.com.

Contact the experts at 888-480-LAKE (5253) for all of your lake, pond and fisheries management needs.

Are Aquatic Herbicides Safe For Your Fish?

A pond properly treated with aquatic herbicides.

Most people want to know if the products being administered to their pond pose any danger to them, their families, their pets, nearby wildlife, or the environment in general. They have good reason to be nervous, because unlike landscape applications and home pest control, aquatic herbicide knowledge is relatively foreign to most people and it is being applied directly to the water. 

Aquatic herbicides are chemicals specifically formulated for use in water to kill or control aquatic plants. Herbicides registered and approved for aquatic use by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been reviewed and are considered compatible with the aquatic environment when used according to label directions. Some individual states however impose additional constraints and their use must also be approved on the state level. 

Aquatic herbicides are sprayed directly onto floating or emergent aquatic plants or are applied to the water in either a liquid or pellet form and can be either systemic, contact, selective, or non-selective types. Systemic herbicides are capable of killing the entire plant and are translocated through the plant, either from foliar application down to the roots, or from soil application up to the leaves. Contact herbicides cause the parts of the plant in contact with the herbicide to die back, leaving the roots alive and able to regrow.  Non-selective, broad spectrum herbicides will generally affect all plants that they come in contact with while selective herbicides will affect only some plants such as dicots which are broad leaf plants, whereas monocots may not be affected. 

Improperly performed treatments utilizing herbicides could lead to low oxygen conditions in the lake or pond as a result of too many plants dying and decomposing simultaneously, which utilizes available oxygen in the water, especially in very warm weather. If this occurs, there is a risk of a fish kill. One of our licensed and experienced applicators will consider all factors including temperature, treatment timing, herbicidal mode of action, utilizing protocols and treatment methodology to greatly minimize any such risk. Adding supplemental oxygen aeration may be recommended.

Properly performed herbicide treatments will typically provide good long term control of target species, and are much more effective, safe, and less expensive than many other available options. No product can be labeled for aquatic use if it poses more than a one in a million chance of causing significant damage to human health, the environment, or wildlife resources. In addition, it may not show evidence of biomagnification, bioavailability, or persistence in the environment.

Bottom line: Is it safe to fish?  The answer is always “yes”.  In short, when aquatic herbicides are applied according to their label, they pose no threat to people, their pets, fish, birds, or any other wildlife, short or long term.  In the case that there is a one day swimming restriction, or any other restriction, a licensed herbicide applicator will always communicate this to anyone with access to the water, as well as posting any relevant signs. 

 

Since 1998, SOLitude Lake Management has been committed to providing full service lake and pond management services that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Services are available in VA, NC, SC, MD, DE, PA, WV, NJ and NY. Fisheries management consulting and aquatic products are available nationwide. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at www.solitudelakemanagement.com.

 

Contact the experts at 888-480-LAKE (5253) for all of your lake, pond and fisheries management needs.

 

 

 

Lake and Pond Algae in Bloom

By Dustin Kennedy, Aquatic Biologist

As spring and summer approach most of the country, so does the algae. Algae can show in many forms and colors. The most common types of pond algae are the green algae types.  They are primitive plants closely related to fungi.  They have no true leaves, stems or roots and reproduce by means of spores, cell division or fragmentation. Algae thrives from excessive nutrients in the water and needs sunlight for growth. Green algae are usually found in three forms: planktonic, filamentous, and macro.

Planktonic algae are microscopic plants, usually suspended in the upper few feet of water.   They can cause pond waters to appear pea soup green and natural die-off may cause a summer fish kill due to oxygen depletion. Some species are found to be toxic to livestock and wildlife.

Filamentous algae forms greenish mats upon the water's surface. This algae usually begins its growth along the edges or bottom of the pond then eventually will take over the entire water body. The filaments are made up of cells joined end to end which give the thread-like appearance. Pithophora and Spirogyra are two of most common that are particularly difficult to control with algaecides.

Pithophora is a dark green filamentous algae and is commonly referred to as cotton ball or horsehair algae. It commonly grows in coarse clumps of tangled filaments resembling small balls of cotton. Individual filaments show extensive branching. Due to its high production of reproductive cells, growth can be very rapid.

Spirogyra is a filamentous algae that can be found in almost every pond or ditch. It gets its name from the spiral form of the chloroplast within the algal cells. Because of its fast reproduction, this algae can grow in extensive mats that can cover and choke out and entire pond.

Macro algae can resemble a flowering plant in that it looks rooted to the ground. In fact they are just attached to a surface. This type of algae tends not to top out completely at the surface of the pond, but like all algae it will reproduce very quickly.

Chara, the most common form of macro algae, is often called musk grass because of its musty garlic-like odor. Chara is a green branched multicellular algae that is often confused with submerged flowering plants. It attaches to the bottom but is not rooted. Chara usually has black ball like structures called sporangia visible during its reproduction stages.

If any issues arise with algae and other nuisance aquatic vegetation, you should contact a professional lake manager to help you evaluate and identify exactly what species of plant or algae you have in your pond. Proper identification is the first step to developing a responsible and effective treatment and overall lake and pond management plan.

Dustin Kennedy is an Aquatic Biologist with SOLitude Lake Management. Serving VA, NC, SC, MD, DE, PA, WV, NJ & NY,  SOLitude Lake Management is a full service lake, pond and fisheries management company offering a full array of aquatic services and products. Contact our experts today for all of your fresh water aquatic needs. 888-480-LAKE (5253) or visit our website: www.solitudelakemanagement.com

Effective Fisheries Management: How Algae and Aquatic Vegetation Play A Role



Pond affected by algae blooms



Algae are non-vascular plants with simple reproductive systems that do not have true roots, stems, leaves, or vascular tissue, although some macroscopic algae may resemble plants in appearance. Algae occur in both freshwater and marine habitats, and are an important aquatic food source for many animals. Excessive algae blooms however can be damaging to aquatic ecosystems and some species produce harmful toxins.

Vascular aquatic plants may be submersed, floating, or emergent, and native species are essential to a healthy aquatic habitat. Vascular aquatic plants are classified as “weeds” when they are growing in areas where they are not wanted, and many species are prolific enough to occupy the entire water column or surface of a water body. 

Aquatic vegetation is an extremely important component of most freshwater systems, providing habitat, refuge, and food for a wide variety of organisms including fish, invertebrates, and waterfowl.  However, overabundant native algae and aquatic vegetation, as well as exotic species, can throw the fishery out of balance by disrupting the interaction between the fish community while also negatively impacting water quality.

Aquatic vegetation and algae can become problematic and threaten the productivity of your fishery. Four common methods used to proactively manage your ponds vegetation and algae are:

 

1) Stocking herbaceous and omnivorous fish such as Triploid Grass Carp and Tilapia

 

2) Decreasing the sunlight’s ability to penetrate deep into the water using plankton or lake dye (If your pond is relying on supplemental feeding, then dye may meet your goals, but in most cases dye should be avoided and plankton should be encouraged using fertilizer.)

 

3) Managing nutrients using aeration

 

4) Tolerating certain species of beneficial vegetation and allowing it to grow in shallow areas. When combining these four approaches, vegetation management becomes much easier. Staying ahead of the plants and not letting them become a problem is important. If you have undesired species, make sure to control them before they take over the pond.  Herbicides and algaecides will often be needed, but with proper management they will be utilized less frequently and in smaller quantities. When putting your pond or lake on a fertilizing program, it is imperative that undesired algae and plants species are eradicated prior to fertilizing. 





Pickerel Weed

Managing for vegetation coverage is an ideal goal for most fisheries. This vegetation is often best when it is an emergent species that is unable to grow in waters greater than 2 feet deep. Beneficial emergent plant species mesh very well with the long-term Fisheries Management Plan, since they do not require expensive herbicides to control. It is important to avoid vegetation species that are capable of taking over the water body, since it can become difficult and expensive to contain on an annual basis. Emergent vegetation such as Water Willow, Pickerel Weed, Duck Potato, Spatterdock, Irises, Rushes and Sedges are all examples of the desired beneficial species. There are both chemical methods using aquatic herbicides, and biological techniques such as grass carp and bacteria used to control unwanted plant and algal growth. 

 

Since 1998 SOLitude Lake Management has been committed to providing full service lake and pond management services that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Our services include lake, pond and fisheries management programs, algae and aquatic weed control, installation of fountains and aeration systems, water quality testing and restoration, bathymetry, lake vegetation studies, habitat assessments and nuisance wildlife management. Services are available in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey & New York. Fisheries consulting and aquatic products are available nationwide. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at www.solitudelakemanagement.com.

Repair the World - During Earth Week and Everyday!

Kick the water bottle habit!

Did you know...

- One bottle of water is sold for 1,900 times the cost of the equivalent amount of tap water.

- Bottled water most often comes from public water sources, sometimes at great expense to local resources and ecosystems.

- 80 million disposable water bottles are used in the U.S. each day and 80% do not get recycled.

- Tap water is tested numerous times a day by municipal treatment authorities. Bottled water - like other privately owned commodities - is tested sporadically by employees of the private bottler.

- The chemicals in many plastic water bottles contain toxins known to leach. These chemicals are an environmental health threat both to consumers and to people living near the sites where these chemical are manufactured.

- The energy required to produce, bottle and transport one disposable water bottle to the consumer is the equivalent of a half-bottle full of oil.

 

Be Part of The SOLution with SOLitude Lake Management

SOLitude Lake Management is a full service environmental lake, pond and fisheries management company servicing VA, NC, SC, MD, DE, PA, WV, NJ & NY. We support LIFESAVER technology and products, offering clean drinking water from any fresh water source. The LIFESAVER Bottle and other aquatic products are available at www.solitudelakemanagement.com.


Sources and more information:
Corporate Accountability: www.ThinkOutsidetheBottle.org
Pacific Institute: www.pacinst.org
Tapped: www.tappedthemovie.com
Bag It: www.bagitmovie.com

Earth Day 2013: Your part starts at home

By Toni Guagenti
Virginian-Pilot correspondent

© April 20, 2013

 



Above: Sasha Owens, an Old Dominion University student,
helps the Five Points Community Farm Market plant
a community garden at Norview United Methodist Church
on April 13. (Toni Guagenti | For The Virginian-Pilot)

YOU NEEDN’T own a hybrid car and live in a house certified by the U.S. Green Building Council to help Mother Nature.

 

Finding small, yet significant, ways nowadays to conserve, reuse, protect and sustain the environment, and the place you occupy in it, can be easy.

 

Just start at home.

 

So don’t just celebrate Earth Day 2013 this weekend, and on its traditional day, April 22, by heading outside to a local celebration. Commit to one or more of the following ways to do your part to go green at home or in your neighborhood. The planet will thank you.

Switch out your incandescent or CFL light bulbs to LED light bulbs.

Kevin Tucker, president of SOLitude Lake Management in Virginia Beach, deals with lighting issues at work. SOLitude is a lake and pond management company.

 

Seeing the switch to light-emitting diodes for underwater and fountain lighting on the job made Tucker decide recently to make the change at home. Tucker said he spent about $400 to $500 to install LEDs – from flood lights to lamp bulbs – throughout his house. Not only will the number of hours the lights last increase significantly, the drain on the electric bill will lessen, he said.

 

“It’s definitely an investment up front,” Tucker said, but added he may never have to replace a bulb because of their efficiency. “It’s one and done.”

 

Hardware and big-box stores sell the light bulbs, so check around for the best price. Don’t be surprised if one costs $30. But, remember, it can last 25,000-plus hours.

Read more of this Earth Day article here:
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/04/earth-day-2013-your-part-starts-home



Kevin Tucker is the President and Owner of SOLitude Lake Management, a full service lake, pond and fisheries management company servicing VA, NC, SC, MD, DE, PA, WV, NJ & NY. Contact the experts at SOLitude, today, to learn about eco-friendly ways to do your part this Earth Day and everyday! 888-480-5253 www.solitudelakemanagement.com