Friday, July 04, 2014

Pond Management

 
At HCC, I have a contract with a company called Mountain Lake and Pond Management.  This company treats all waterways on the golf course on a monthly basis.  It is very important to stay on top of aquatic weeds and algae.  If left unattended, weeds can take over a water body and will lead to numerous other issues.  For example, when algae takes over a pond and a high rate chemical application is required, other pond biology is affected.  The decomposition (chemical reaction) of algae requires a tremendous amount of oxygen.  This is the same oxygen supporting fish life.  This is why fish kills are associated with algae blooms.  Remaining on a monthly schedule ensures we stay ahead of the curve and avoid such issues.
 
Above is a clump of Parrots Feather weed floating in club lake.  This is one of the more invasive weeds we see.  Removing it with a rake only compounds issues by creating new growth.