Thursday, January 21, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Ice on Ponds and Lakes Can Pose a Hazard
The only safe ice-is the ice you stay off!
But as well all know ice is attractive to kids, dogs, ice fisherman and skaters. With our cold weather across the nation this year, ice deaths and pond rescues are rising substantially. Just yesterday in the Chicago area an 11-year-old boy and his 1-year-old dog succumbed after falling through the ice in a neighborhood retention pond. In Cape Cod the owner of two dogs was rescued after she fell through the ice, trying to rescue her dogs, luckily there were two skaters nearby that saved all three. In Georgia today, two teens died after trying to cross a frozen pond. According the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Statistics “43 people have died in falls through the ice in Minnesota in the last 10 years. Some 29 percent of them were younger than nine years old”.
The statistics are grim, but there are things you can do to increase your safety before venturing out onto the ice.
First, ice is a complex structure that is impacted by age, temperature swings, wave action, wind, snow and natural springs among other things. Ice thickness and quality can vary considerably within a few feet. Ice fisherman are known to say, “Thick and blue, tried and true; thin and crispy, way too risky.”
So how do you know if ice is safe? The best approach is to augur or drill into the ice. This will let you see the thickness and quality of the ice. A minimum of 4” of thickness is required to support a human. You can also chip at the ice. If the ice chips off in chunks, this is an indicator of high density and a strong bond between the ice molecules. If the ice flakes or comes off in thin layers, this is an indicator of low density and a weak molecular bond.
Look for open water. If a pond aerator is present, do not go on the ice. If the pond or lake has a natural spring or a flow through weak ice is often a problem.
Look for posted “thin ice” signs, many well managed ponds and lakes warn visitors of the potential for thin ice conditions.
The bottom line is no ice is completely safe. Warn your children of the dangers of thin ice and to NEVER venture onto the ice without adult supervision and pre-testing of the ice. If you own a pond or waterfront property always have water rescue gear available. Water rescue throw bags, extended poles or traditional Life Rings are low cost effective options.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Managing Your Pond Ecosystem
Managing Your Pond Ecosystem
Ponds have a life cycle. Every pond is an ecosystem that is impacted by the surrounding environment. The scientific term is eutrophication, which is a natural process that occurs in an aging lake or pond as that body of water gradually builds up its concentration of plant nutrients.
Artificial eutrophication occurs when human activity introduces increased amounts of these nutrients, which speed up plant growth and eventually choke the lake of all of its animal life. With fertilizer runoff, fish waste, decaying vegetation building up over time, every pond owner faces this natural process. Typically algae blooms, excessive weed growth and fish kills are symptoms of the problem.
Pond management requires a proactive approach to reverse this natural process.
Consider the acronym ABC as a natural solution for creating a balanced pond eco-system.
Aeration is one of the keys to pond health. Stagnant, thermally stratified, oxygen starved ponds can be revived simply by adding Aeration. Tests have demonstrated a doubling of water clarity, reductions in ammonia, muck and elimination of thermal stratification.
Beneficial bacteria or Probiotics occur naturally in a pond. Digesting decaying organic matter is their job. When the nutrient load exceeds naturally occurring bacteria’s ability to consume organic matter, muck starts to build and algae and plants grow in excess. Bio-augmentation or adding Probiotics to the pond begins to balance the nutrient load.
Colorant or Pond Dye is a tool to limit sunlight in a pond. By adding shade to the pond algae and weeds are starved of sunlight and their growth is reduced.
Managing a pond can be easy, effective and earth friendly. When you follow the ABC approach you can significantly reduce the use of pond treatment chemicals and reverse the aging process of your pond.
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