What Is the Cause of Murky Lake Water? By Trent Nelson, Aquatic Specialist at SOLitude Lake Management
When most people envision their dream waterbody, they picture blue, crystal-clear water that provides a beautiful backdrop for swimming, fishing, or connecting with nature. Unfortunately, visually stunning lakes and ponds aren’t always easy to achieve without consistent management. In fact, murky, turbid, or cloudy water is a common reason homeowners associations, golf courses, public parks, commercial developments, and private property owners seek professional management solutions. To address this issue, it’s important to first understand the root causes.
Murky or Cloudy Pond Water Can Lead to Big Issues
Murky or cloudy water is often a sign of suspended sediment due to erosion, pollution, and stagnation that is hospitable to nuisance mosquitoes, weeds, and “rotten egg” like odors. These signs indicate muck buildup at the bottom of the waterbody. Bottom muck accumulates as a result of inhibited decomposition of materials like plants, algae, and other organic substances (e.g., lawn clippings and fertilizers that have washed in over time). It can also be caused by the presence of invasive species like armored catfish, which burrow into
Certain pond algae species can create the appearance of murky water, particularly when they accumulate on one side of a lake or pond.
shorelines to breed and lay eggs. Oxygen-rich waterbodies are capable of efficiently processing this sludge, but when oxygen is deficient, muck can accumulate faster than it can be broken down.
Solutions for Increasing Dissolved Oxygen Levels There are many ways to increase dissolved oxygen levels in your lake or pond. Floating fountains circulate and aerate the water near the surface while submersed aerators integrate oxygen and movement from bottom to top. Though effective at restoring balance throughout the water column by creating conditions that
Filamentous algae are not only unsightly, but they can also cause water to become stagnant and oxygen-deprived. GROUNDWORK
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are less hospitable to plant and algae growth, these types of solutions are limited to targeting muck directly. However, exciting new innovations like Oxygen Saturation Technology (OST) are capable of injecting pure oxygen directly into muck and sludge to expedite its degradation. OST can also distribute oxygen into specific areas in the waterbody for highly targeted oxygen saturation in spaces that need it most.
Shoreline Stabilization Is Key Likewise, steps should be taken to prevent future erosion around the waterbody. Introducing native, deeprooted buffer plants can help contain the sediment and filter the polluted runoff that flows into the water during rainstorms. More significantly, weakened banks can be stabilized using modern shoreline restoration techniques. A patented knitted mesh solution called SOX Erosion Solutions completely reshapes and anchors the sediment for long-lasting durability. Once in place, the SOX can be planted with sod and beautiful beneficial plants for seamless integration into the surrounding property.
J A N UA RY/FEBRUA RY 2022
