There are thousands of earthen ponds and lakes across Pennsylvania that provide many benefits to homeowners and farmers, but they have their share of problems.

A survey by Penn State Extension found that 77 percent of earthen pond owners complain of overabundant algae or plants, leaks, poor water quality, fish kills, or nuisance wildlife.

Many of these problems become apparent to pond owners in early summer when the peak use of ponds occurs in Pennsylvania.

There are some simple strategies that can be used to prevent these problems or fix issues that do occur to create a more satisfactory and sustainable water body.

The most frequent questions involve the control of aquatic plants and weeds so several of the strategies focus on identification and control of nuisance plants and algae.

The tips include inspecting a pond, making pond measurements, controlling nutrients and sediment, managing plants and algae properly, and managing fish and wildlife.

Click Here to view the LearnNow video on ponds.

For more information, visit the Penn State Extension’s Pond Management webpage.

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House Recognizes July As Lake Appreciation Month

(Reprinted from Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)

[Posted: June 21, 2018]

6/25/2018