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Dissolved oxygen refers to the level of free, non-compound oxygen present in water. It is an important parameter in assessing water quality because of its influence on the organisms living within a body of water; the vast majority of aquatic life needs sufficient amounts of oxygen dissolved in water in order to survive. Pollutants, the decomposition of invasive aquatic weed growth, and algae blooms significantly reduce dissolved oxygen. The purpose of aeration in lake management is to increase the concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the water. Aeration systems achieve these water quality improvements by helping prevent stagnation of water, increasing circulation, disrupting thermal stratification which provides “through-column” mixing, and minimizes the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Princeton Hydro has been working with the Lake Hopatcong Commission and Lake Hopatcong Foundation to implement several projects aimed at reducing the impacts of HABs in Lake Hopatcong, including the installation of three innovative aeration systems in different areas of the lake. Funding for these projects have come from a NJ Department of Environmental Protection Water Quality Restoration HAB grant awarded to the Commission in 2020, with additional funding and support coming from the Foundation, Morris and Sussex Counties, and four municipalities that surround Lake Hopatcong. Air Curtain Aeration System Our team completed the installation of an air curtain system at Shore Hills Country Club in Roxbury Township in early November 2020. The system produces a wall of bubbles that provide the kinetic energy to push and deflect away floating cyanobacteria and other toxins trying to enter the waterway. Installed near the shoreline, the air curtain increases the movement of the water, making it more difficult for floating debris, pollutants, and HABs to accumulate near the shore and in nearby shallow water areas. Nanobubble Aeration System Nanobubbles are extremely small gas bubbles that have several unique physical properties that make them very different from normal bubbles. Nanobubble aerators directly saturate the water with significantly more oxygen than traditional water aeration systems. These systems produce ultra-fine bubbles that are nearly invisible to the human eye. Unlike “traditional” aeration systems that push air bubbles to the surface in order to circulate the water and increase the dissolved oxygen levels, nanobubbles are so small that they remain within the water column for an extended period of time, directly oxygenating the water. Our team is scheduled to complete a nanobubble system install for Lake Hopatcong in the Spring of 2021. Nanobubble Aeration System with Ozone At Lake Hopatcong’s Lake Forest Yacht Club in Jefferson Township, our team installed a Nanobubble System with Ozone, which was completed in November 2020. This system generates ultrafine microbubbles (nanobubbles) containing ozone, which is used to disinfect water supplies and works to break down organic material in the water. These nanobubbles harness the unique biocidal power of ozone and place it into a safe delivery mechanism that is highly effective but also ensures human and environmental safety. The resulting ozone nanobubbles eliminate a wide range of polluting chemicals as well as herbicides, pesticides, and microbial toxins, which are all known causes of HABs. The nanobubble technology is a relatively new strategy for preventing cyanobacteria blooms. Evaluation of the air curtain and both nanobubble systems in controlling and minimizing HABs in Lake Hopatcong will begin in Spring 2021. Our team will closely monitor the effectiveness throughout the 2021 season and provide detailed reports of our findings. Stay tuned for more info! Increasing the dissolved oxygen levels in a pond or lake provides many benefits including improved water quality, healthier fish and plants, more efficient filtration, and reduced nuisance algae growth. To learn more about Princeton Hydro's collaborative efforts to protect our valuable water resources, click here. [post_title] => Preventing Harmful Algal Blooms with Innovative Aeration Technology [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => innovative-aeration-technology [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-12 11:03:33 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-12 11:03:33 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.princetonhydro.com/blog/?p=5757 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 5242 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2020-07-17 15:35:43 [post_date_gmt] => 2020-07-17 15:35:43 [post_content] => The use of biochar, a pure carbon, charcoal-like substance made from organic material, to enhance soil fertility is thought to have originated over 2,000 years ago in the Brazilian Amazon. Archeological studies indicate populations of native Amazonians used biochar to amend nutrient-poor soils to increase agricultural productivity. Biochar is generally produced through a process called pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is the decomposition of organic matter brought about by high temperatures (typically 800°F) in an environment with limited oxygen. The word pyrolysis is coined from the Greek-derived elements pyro "fire" and lysis "separating." Recently, biochar has received tremendous attention and its usage has moved beyond traditional agricultural and landscaping soil amendment applications. It is being championed as a useful technique for soil restoration, carbon sequestration, and - the one we’re most excited about - water quality management. Photo by: Colleen Lyons of the Lake Hopatcong Commission That’s right! Biochar has been shown to improve water quality by removing nutrients from waterbodies. Biochar can be placed in floatation balls, cages, or sacks, which are then tethered along the shoreline and in critical locations throughout the waterbody, like where an inlet enters a lake. The benefits of biochar far outweigh the relatively low-cost investment. Photo by: Colleen Lyons of the Lake Hopatcong Commission Princeton Hydro recently installed biochar flotation bags in various locations throughout Lake Hopatcong, including the Lake Winona outlet, the Lake Forest Yacht Club inlet, Lakeside Avenue and Holiday Avenue inlet in Hopatcong, and the Edith Decker School outlet in Mount Arlington. The biochar bag installation, which was funded by the NJDEP Freshwater HABs Prevention & Management Grant provided to the Lake Hopatcong Commission (LHC) and its project partner the Lake Hopatcong Foundation (LHF), is one part of a multi-pronged lake management plan to protect the overall water quality of Lake Hopatcong. Last summer, Lake Hopatcong - along with freshwater lakes throughout the country - was hit hard by a HAB outbreak that caused beach closures, health advisories, and water quality degradation. Princeton Hyrdo has been working with the LHC, LHF, Morris & Sussex Countys, and local municipalities to implement a number of lake management strategies. For example, Floating Wetland Islands, which use a mix of microbes and native plants to remove excess algae-causing nutrients from the water, were installed throughout Lake Hopatcong. Over the coming weeks, our team is installing more biochar bags in Roxbury, NJ at Duck Pond and in Mount Arlington, NJ at Memorial Pond. Stay tuned for more info! To learn more about our water quality management services, go here: princetonhydro.com/pond&lake. [post_title] => Using an Ancient Technology in a New Way: Removing Nutrients in a Lake with Biochar [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => biochar [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-03-03 14:59:42 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-03-03 14:59:42 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.princetonhydro.com/blog/?p=5242 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 6 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 5103 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2020-07-01 15:19:38 [post_date_gmt] => 2020-07-01 15:19:38 [post_content] => July is Lakes Appreciation Month - a great time of year to enjoy your community lakes and help protect them. Lakes Appreciation Month was started by North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) to help bring attention to the countless benefits that lakes provide, to raise awareness of the many challenges facing our waterways, and to encourage people to get involved in protecting these precious resources. “You work and play on them. You drink from them. But do you really appreciate them? Growing population, development, and invasive species stress your local lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. All life needs water; let’s not take it for granted!” - NALMS Chemical pollutants, stormwater runoff, hydrocarbons, invasive aquatic species, and climate change are just a few of the the serious threats facing lakes and other freshwater habitats. So what can you do to to help? We’ve put together six tips to help you celebrate Lakes Appreciation Month and get involved in protecting your favorite lakes:
When monitoring and managing the health of a lake or pond, dissolved oxygen is one of the most important indicators of water quality. Dissolved oxygen refers to the level of free, non-compound oxygen present in water. It is an important parameter in assessing water quality because of its influence on the organisms living within a body of water; the vast majority of aquatic life needs sufficient amounts of oxygen dissolved in water in order to survive.
Pollutants, the decomposition of invasive aquatic weed growth, and algae blooms significantly reduce dissolved oxygen. The purpose of aeration in lake management is to increase the concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the water. Aeration systems achieve these water quality improvements by helping prevent stagnation of water, increasing circulation, disrupting thermal stratification which provides “through-column” mixing, and minimizes the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs).
Princeton Hydro has been working with the Lake Hopatcong Commission and Lake Hopatcong Foundation to implement several projects aimed at reducing the impacts of HABs in Lake Hopatcong, including the installation of three innovative aeration systems in different areas of the lake. Funding for these projects have come from a NJ Department of Environmental Protection Water Quality Restoration HAB grant awarded to the Commission in 2020, with additional funding and support coming from the Foundation, Morris and Sussex Counties, and four municipalities that surround Lake Hopatcong.
Our team completed the installation of an air curtain system at Shore Hills Country Club in Roxbury Township in early November 2020. The system produces a wall of bubbles that provide the kinetic energy to push and deflect away floating cyanobacteria and other toxins trying to enter the waterway. Installed near the shoreline, the air curtain increases the movement of the water, making it more difficult for floating debris, pollutants, and HABs to accumulate near the shore and in nearby shallow water areas.
Nanobubbles are extremely small gas bubbles that have several unique physical properties that make them very different from normal bubbles. Nanobubble aerators directly saturate the water with significantly more oxygen than traditional water aeration systems. These systems produce ultra-fine bubbles that are nearly invisible to the human eye. Unlike “traditional” aeration systems that push air bubbles to the surface in order to circulate the water and increase the dissolved oxygen levels, nanobubbles are so small that they remain within the water column for an extended period of time, directly oxygenating the water. Our team is scheduled to complete a nanobubble system install for Lake Hopatcong in the Spring of 2021.
At Lake Hopatcong’s Lake Forest Yacht Club in Jefferson Township, our team installed a Nanobubble System with Ozone, which was completed in November 2020. This system generates ultrafine microbubbles (nanobubbles) containing ozone, which is used to disinfect water supplies and works to break down organic material in the water. These nanobubbles harness the unique biocidal power of ozone and place it into a safe delivery mechanism that is highly effective but also ensures human and environmental safety. The resulting ozone nanobubbles eliminate a wide range of polluting chemicals as well as herbicides, pesticides, and microbial toxins, which are all known causes of HABs.
The nanobubble technology is a relatively new strategy for preventing cyanobacteria blooms. Evaluation of the air curtain and both nanobubble systems in controlling and minimizing HABs in Lake Hopatcong will begin in Spring 2021. Our team will closely monitor the effectiveness throughout the 2021 season and provide detailed reports of our findings. Stay tuned for more info!
Increasing the dissolved oxygen levels in a pond or lake provides many benefits including improved water quality, healthier fish and plants, more efficient filtration, and reduced nuisance algae growth. To learn more about Princeton Hydro's collaborative efforts to protect our valuable water resources, click here.
The use of biochar, a pure carbon, charcoal-like substance made from organic material, to enhance soil fertility is thought to have originated over 2,000 years ago in the Brazilian Amazon. Archeological studies indicate populations of native Amazonians used biochar to amend nutrient-poor soils to increase agricultural productivity.
Biochar is generally produced through a process called pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is the decomposition of organic matter brought about by high temperatures (typically 800°F) in an environment with limited oxygen. The word pyrolysis is coined from the Greek-derived elements pyro "fire" and lysis "separating."
Recently, biochar has received tremendous attention and its usage has moved beyond traditional agricultural and landscaping soil amendment applications. It is being championed as a useful technique for soil restoration, carbon sequestration, and - the one we’re most excited about - water quality management.
That’s right! Biochar has been shown to improve water quality by removing nutrients from waterbodies. Biochar can be placed in floatation balls, cages, or sacks, which are then tethered along the shoreline and in critical locations throughout the waterbody, like where an inlet enters a lake. The benefits of biochar far outweigh the relatively low-cost investment.
Princeton Hydro recently installed biochar flotation bags in various locations throughout Lake Hopatcong, including the Lake Winona outlet, the Lake Forest Yacht Club inlet, Lakeside Avenue and Holiday Avenue inlet in Hopatcong, and the Edith Decker School outlet in Mount Arlington. The biochar bag installation, which was funded by the NJDEP Freshwater HABs Prevention & Management Grant provided to the Lake Hopatcong Commission (LHC) and its project partner the Lake Hopatcong Foundation (LHF), is one part of a multi-pronged lake management plan to protect the overall water quality of Lake Hopatcong.
Last summer, Lake Hopatcong - along with freshwater lakes throughout the country - was hit hard by a HAB outbreak that caused beach closures, health advisories, and water quality degradation. Princeton Hyrdo has been working with the LHC, LHF, Morris & Sussex Countys, and local municipalities to implement a number of lake management strategies. For example, Floating Wetland Islands, which use a mix of microbes and native plants to remove excess algae-causing nutrients from the water, were installed throughout Lake Hopatcong.
Over the coming weeks, our team is installing more biochar bags in Roxbury, NJ at Duck Pond and in Mount Arlington, NJ at Memorial Pond. Stay tuned for more info! To learn more about our water quality management services, go here: princetonhydro.com/pond&lake.
July is Lakes Appreciation Month - a great time of year to enjoy your community lakes and help protect them.
Lakes Appreciation Month was started by North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) to help bring attention to the countless benefits that lakes provide, to raise awareness of the many challenges facing our waterways, and to encourage people to get involved in protecting these precious resources.
“You work and play on them. You drink from them. But do you really appreciate them? Growing population, development, and invasive species stress your local lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. All life needs water; let’s not take it for granted!” - NALMS
Chemical pollutants, stormwater runoff, hydrocarbons, invasive aquatic species, and climate change are just a few of the the serious threats facing lakes and other freshwater habitats. So what can you do to to help?
We’ve put together six tips to help you celebrate Lakes Appreciation Month and get involved in protecting your favorite lakes:
The “Secchi Dip-In” is an annual citizen science event where lake-goers and associations across North America use a simple Secchi disk to monitor the transparency or turbidity of their local waterway. Created and managed by NALMS, volunteers have been submitting information during the annual Dip-In since 1994. Get all the Dip-In details here.
With the BloomWatch App, you can help the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency understand where and when potential harmful algae blooms (HABs) occur. HABs have the potential to produce toxins that can have serious negative impacts on the health of humans, pets, and our ecosystems. Click here to learn more and download the app here. For more information on HABs, check out our recent blog.
Commit to keeping your lake clean: Volunteers play a major role in maintaining the health and safety of community waterways. If you’re interested in helping to conserve and protect your water resources, you can start by cleaning up trash. Choose a waterbody in your community; determine a regular clean-up schedule; and stick to it! Cleaning your neighborhood storm drains really helps too; click here to find out how.
You can help support your favorite lake by joining or donating to a lake or watershed association. As an organized, collective group, lake associations work toward identifying and implementing strategies to protect water quality and ecological integrity. Lake associations monitor the condition of the lake, develop lake management plans, provide education about how to protect the lake, work with the government entities to improve fish habitat, and much more.
There are countless ways to enjoy and appreciate your community lakes. During Lakes Appreciation month, take photos that illustrate how you appreciate your community lakes, share them on social media using the hashtag: #LakesAppreciation, and hopefully you’ll inspire others to show their Lake Appreciation too.
NALMS invites you to participate in its social media photo contest, titled "Show Your Lakes Appreciation Challenge." To participate: Take a picture of yourself or someone you know enjoying or working on a lake or reservoir during July. And, upload the photo to Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter using a descriptive caption and the #LakesAppreciation hashtag. Three winners will be determined via a raffle and announced via social media on Monday, August 3rd. Learn more.
To ensure you’re staying safe while participating in Lakes Appreciation Month and all outdoor activities, please be sure to follow local regulations and the CDC's recommended COVID-19 guidelines.
To learn more about NALMS and get more ideas on how to celebrate your local lakes, go here: https://www.nalms.org. If you’re interested in learning more about Princeton Hydro’s broad range of award-winning lake management services, go here: http://bit.ly/pondlake.
…
Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) were in the spotlight last summer due to the severe impacts they had on lakes throughout the country. Nation-wide, HABs caused beach closures, restricted lake usage, and led to wide-ranging health advisories. There were 39 confirmed harmful algal bloom (HAB) outbreaks in New Jersey alone.
As a reminder, HABs are rapid, large overgrowths of cyanobacteria. These microorganisms are a natural part of aquatic ecosystems, but, under the right conditions (primarily heavy rains, followed by hot, sunny days), these organisms can rapidly increase to form cyanobacteria blooms, also known as HABs. HABs can cause significant water quality issues; produce toxins that are incredibly harmful (even deadly) to humans, animals, and aquatic organisms; and negatively impact economic health, especially for communities dependent on the income of jobs and tourism generated through their local lakes.
“A property’s value near an infested lake can drop by up to $85,000, and waterside communities can lose millions of dollars in revenue from tourism, boating, fishing and other sectors,” reports Princeton Hydro President Geoff Goll, P.E.
Generally, the health of a private lake is funded and managed in isolation by the governing private lake association group. But, in order to mitigate HABs and protect the overall health of our local waterbodies, it’s important that we look beyond just the lake itself. Implementing regional/watershed-based planning is a critical step in preventing the spread of HABs and maintaining the overall health of our natural resources.
At the end of 2019, the Borough of Ringwood became the first municipality in New Jersey to take a regional approach to private lake management through a public-private partnership with four lake associations.
The Borough of Ringwood is situated in the heart of the New Jersey Highlands, is home to several public and private lakes, and provides drinking water to millions of New Jersey residents. In order to take an active role in the management of these natural resources, Ringwood hired Princeton Hydro, a leader in ecological and engineering consulting, to design a municipal-wide holistic watershed management plan that identifies and prioritizes watershed management techniques and measures that are best suited for immediate and long-term implementation.
Funding for Ringwood’s Watershed-based Assessment is being provided by the New Jersey Highlands Council through a grant reimbursement to the Borough of Ringwood. The Highlands Council offers grant funding and assistance to support the development and implementation of a wide range of planning initiatives. Examples of the types of efforts that can be funded for municipalities and counties include:
Chris Mikolajczyk, CLM, Princeton Hydro’s Aquatics Senior Project Manager and the Ringwood project’s lead designer, presented with Keri Green of the NJ Highlands Council, at a recent New Jersey Coalition of Lake Associations meeting. The duo showcased Ringwood’s unique approach, spread the word about available funding through the NJ Highlands Council, and encourage other municipalities to follow Ringwood’s lead in taking a regional approach to lake and watershed management.
Mikolajczyk said, “This regional approach to lake and watershed management is a no-brainer from a scientific, technical, and community point of view. Historically, however, municipal governments and private lake associations have rarely partnered to take such an approach. The hope is that the Borough of Ringwood efforts, funded by the New Jersey Highlands Council, will set a precedent for this logical watershed management strategy and open the door for future public-private partnerships.”
This integrated approach to watershed and lake management is an important preventative measure to improve water quality for millions of people and reduce potential future incidents of aquatic invasive species and harmful algal blooms throughout the region.
To learn more about NJ Highlands Council and available grant funding, go here. To download a complete copy of the presentations given by Mikolajczyk and Green at the recent NJCOLA meeting, go here. To learn more about Princeton Hydro’s pond, lake and watershed management services, go here.
Measuring 630+ acres, Harveys Lake, located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, just northeast of Wilkes-Barre, is the largest natural lake (by volume) within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and is one of the most heavily used lakes in the area. It is classified as a high quality - cold water fishery habitat (HQ-CWF) and is designated for protection under the classification.
Since 2002, The Borough of Harveys Lake and the Harveys Lake Environmental Advisory Council has worked with Princeton Hydro on a variety of lake management efforts focused around maintaining high water quality conditions, strengthening stream banks and shorelines, and managing stormwater runoff.
Successful, sustainable lake management requires identifying and correcting the cause of eutrophication as opposed to simply reacting to the symptoms of eutrophication (algae and weed growth). As such, we collect and analyze data to identify the problem sources and use these scientific findings to develop a customized management plan that includes a combination of biological, mechanical, and source control solutions. Here are some examples of the lake management strategies we've utilized for Harveys Lake:
Floating Wetland Islands (FWIs) are an effective alternative to large, watershed-based natural wetlands. Often described as self-sustaining, FWIs provide numerous ecological benefits. They assimilate and remove excess nutrients, like nitrate and phosphorous, that could fuel algae growth; provide habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms; help mitigate wave and wind erosion impacts; and provide an aesthetic element. FWIs are also highly adaptable and can be sized, configured, and planted to fit the needs of nearly any lake, pond, or reservoir.
Five floating wetland islands were installed in Harveys Lake to assimilate and reduce nutrients already in the lake. The islands were placed in areas with high concentrations of nutrients, placed 50 feet from the shoreline and tethered in place with steel cables and anchored. A 250-square-foot FWI is estimated to remove up to 10 pounds of nutrients per year, which is significant when it comes to algae.
Princeton Hydro worked with the Harveys Lake Environmental Advisory Council and the Borough of Harveys Lake to obtain funding for the FWIs through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP).
The shoreline habitat of Harveys Lake is minimal and unusual in that a paved road encompasses the lake along the shore with most of the homes and cottages located across the roadway, opposite the lake. In addition to the lake being located in a highly populated area, the limited shoreline area adds to the challenges created by urban stormwater runoff.
Runoff from urban lands and erosion of streambanks and shorelines delivers nutrients and sediment to Harveys Lake. High nutrient levels in the lake contribute to algal blooms and other water quality issues. In order to address these challenges, the project team implemented a number of small-scale streambank and inlet stabilization projects with big impacts.
The work included the stabilization of the streambank downstream for Harveys Lake dam and along Harveys Creek, the design and installation of a riparian buffer immediately along the lake’s shoreline, and selective dredging to remove sediment build up in critical areas throughout the watershed.
Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), an aggressively growing aquatic plant, took root in the lake in 2014 and quickly infected 250 acres of the lake in a matter of three years. If left untreated, hydrilla will grow to the water’s surface and create a thick green mat, which prevents sunlight from reaching native plants, fish and other organisms below. The lack of sunlight chokes out all aquatic life.
In order to prevent hydrilla from spreading any further, Princeton Hydro and SePRO conducted an emergency treatment of the impacted area utilizing the systemic herbicide Sonar® (Fluridone), a clay-based herbicide. SonarOne, manufactured by SePRO, blocks hydrilla’s ability to produce chloroplasts, which in turn halts the photosynthetic process. The low-concentration herbicide does not harm fish, wildlife or people using the lake. Surveys conducted after the treatment showed it was working – the hydrilla had turned white and was dying off. Additional Sonar treatments followed and efforts to eradicate hydrilla in the lake continue.
Dr. Fred Lubnow, our Director of Aquatic Programs, estimates complete eradication of the aquatic plant could take around five years. Everyone can do their part in preventing the spread of this and other invasive species. Boaters and lake users must be vigilant and remove all vegetation from the bottom of watercrafts and trailers.
In 2009, Princeton Hydro developed a stormwater implementation plan (SIP) for Harveys Lake. The goal of the stormwater/watershed-based efforts was to reduce the lake’s existing annual total phosphorus load to be in full compliance with the established Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). This TMDL is related to watershed-based pollutant loads from total phosphorus (TP) and total suspended solids (TSS), which can contribute to algal blooms.
A number of structural urban runoff projects were implemented throughout the watershed. This includes the design and construction of two natural stream channel projects restoring 500 linear feet of tributaries and reducing the sediment and nutrient loads entering the lake. A series of 38 urban runoff BMPs, including nutrient separating devices and roadside infiltration, were installed in areas immediately adjacent to the lake to further reduce the loads of nutrients and other pollutants reaching the lake.
The photos below show a stormwater project that was completed in the Hemlock Gardens Section of the Watershed. Hemlock Gardens is a 28-acre section of land located in the southeastern portion of the watershed. It contains approximately 26 homes, has very steep slopes, unpaved dirt roads, and previously had no stormwater infrastructure in place.
Two structural stormwater BMPs were installed:
In 1994, Harveys Lake was identified as “impaired” by PADEP due to large algal blooms. In 2014, Harveys Lake was removed from the list of impaired waters. Project partners attribute the recovery of this lake to the stream restoration, urban runoff BMP implementation, and the use of in-lake nutrient reduction strategies.
The Harveys Lake Watershed Protection Plan Implementation Project proved that despite the lake being located in an urbanized watershed, it is possible to implement cost-effective green infrastructure and stormwater retrofit solutions capable of significantly decreasing pollutant loading to the lake.
Did you know that lakes contain about 90% of all surface water on Earth, not counting the oceans? That’s a whole lot to appreciate! And, luckily Lakes Appreciation Month is right around the corner!
July 1 marks the beginning of Lakes Appreciation Month. To encourage active participation in this month-long celebration, we’re holding a #LakesAppreciation Instagram photo contest where you can show us how you appreciate lakes! The winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card.
We want to see how YOU appreciate lakes! Send us photos of yourself actively participating in lake appreciation. ?Make sure to read the contest guidelines and conditions listed below. Need some inspiration? Scroll down for a list of suggestions to get your creativity flowing.
One lucky winner will be randomly selected on August 1, 2019. The selected winner will receive a $100 gift card to Amazon. We’ll reach out to you via social media to collect your email and address for prize distribution. If the winner does not respond within five working days with the appropriate information, we will select another winner at random. Good luck, everyone!
Not sure how to get started? We’ve got you covered with a few ideas! Here are 10 ways you can show your lake appreciation:
Still having trouble thinking of an activity to do? Visit the NALMS's website!
By submitting an entry (Photograph) via Instagram to Princeton Hydro’s 2019 #LakesAppreciation Month Contest, you agree to the following: You represent and warrant that:
Check out the details and winner of last year's Lakes Appreciation Month contest:
Collaboration between state agencies and local organizations in Luzerne County bring in grant money to determine Hydrilla infestation levels in Harveys Lake. Treatment efforts are scheduled for 2019.
Story provided by Princeton Hydro Senior Limnologist Michael Hartshorne, and originally published in the Pennsylvania iMapInvasives Fall 2018 Newsletter
Harveys Lake, located in the Borough of Harveys Lake (Luzerne County) is a large, deep glacial lake with limited littoral (i.e., shoreline) habitat. A significant body of work has been conducted at the lake with the original Phase I: Diagnostic-Feasibility Lake study conducted in 1992 and a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) issued for phosphorus in 2002.
From 2002 to present, Princeton Hydro has assisted the Borough in the restoration of the lake with a heavy focus on stormwater best management practices (BMPs) supplemented by routine, in-lake water quality monitoring. The goal of the storm water/watershed-based efforts was to reduce the lake’s existing, annual total Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) phosphorus load so it’s in full compliance with the established TMDL.
Over the last 15 years, the installation of these watershed-based projects has led to improved water quality conditions; specifically, phosphorus and algae concentrations have been reduced. While water quality conditions improved Harveys Lake, it was during one of the routine, summer water quality monitoring events conducted in July 2014 that a dense stand of hydrilla was noted at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s public boat launch. More than likely, the plant entered the lake as a “hitchhiker” on the boat or trailer being launched from this public boat launch by someone visiting the lake.
Since the initial identification and confirmation of the hydrilla, the Borough of Harveys Lake has worked in conjunction with the Harveys Lake Environmental Advisory Council, the Luzerne County Conservation District, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and Princeton Hydro to secure funding for additional surveys to determine the spatial extent and density of growth followed by an aggressive eradication plan.
Grant funds already allocated to Harveys Lake under the state’s Non-Point Source Pollution Program were used to conduct a detailed boat-based and diving aquatic plant survey of Harveys Lake to delineate the distribution and relative abundance of the hydrilla in 2014. During these surveys, the distribution of the hydrilla was found to be limited to the northern portion of the lake with the heaviest densities just off the boat launch with plants observed growing in waters 20-25 feet deep.
A follow-up survey had shown hydrilla coverage to increase from 38% of surveyed sites to 58% of sites in 2016 with hydrilla now present at the lake’s outlet area. Spatial coverage of hydrilla increased from approximately 50 acres in 2014 to 210 acres in 2016, an increase of 160 acres.
In hopes of preventing hydrilla escaping into the lake’s outlet stream, the Borough of Harveys Lake funded an emergency treatment of the two-acre outlet area in 2016 utilizing the systemic herbicide Sonar® (Fluridone). A follow-up treatment of 159 acres was conducted in 2017, again utilizing the Fluridone-based systemic herbicide.
The next treatment, which will attempt to cover the majority of the littoral habitat covered by hydrilla, is scheduled for late spring/early summer of 2019. It should be noted that Sonar® is being applied at a low concentration that is effective at eradicating the hydrilla, but will not negatively impact desirable native plant species.
The treatments conducted to date have documented some reductions in the vegetative coverage of hydrilla as well as tuber production relative to the original plant surveys conducted in 2016. However, it is recognized that it will take multiple years of treatment to eradicate this nuisance plant from the lake, as well as a highly proactive, interactive program to educate residents as well as visitors to the lake in preventing the re-introduction of this or other invasive species to Harveys Lake.
The successful, long-term improvement of a lake or pond requires a proactive management approach that addresses the beyond simply reacting to weed and algae growth and other symptoms of eutrophication. Our staff can design and implement holistic, ecologically-sound solutions for the most difficult weed and algae challenges. Visit our website to learn more about Princeton Hydro's lake management services: http://bit.ly/pondlake
Michael Hartshorne's primary areas of expertise include lake and stream diagnostic studies, TMDL development, watershed management, and small pond management and lake restoration. He is particularly skilled in all facets of water quality characterization, from field data collection to subsequent statistical analysis, modeling, technical reporting, and the selection and implementation of best management practices. He has extensive experience in utilizing water quality data in concert with statistical and modeling packages to support load reduction allocations for the achievement of water quality standards or tailored thresholds set forth to reduce the rate of cultural eutrophication. He also has significant experience in conducting detailed macrophyte, fishery, and benthic surveys.
Throughout October, Princeton Hydro is proud to participate in a number of conferences and events on topics ranging from floodplain management to ecological restoration to dam removal:
The conference, being held in Baltimore, gives small and minority businesses in the architecture, engineering and construction industries the opportunity to come together with federal agencies in order to showcase best practices and highlight future opportunities to work in the federal market. The program consists of networking events, a variety of speakers and small business exhibits. Be sure to stop by the Princeton Hydro booth to say hello to President Geoffrey Goll, P.E. and Communications Strategist Dana Patterson.
The Great Swamp Watershed Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and improving the water resources of the Passaic River region, is hosting its 2018 Gala & Silent Auction. This year's event is being, held in honor of former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean, for his environmental leadership during his administration for enacting landmark protections for New Jersey’s shoreline and freshwater wetlands. present and future generations. The evening will include a cocktail hour, dinner banquet, expansive silent auction, and remarks delivered by Governor Kean. Princeton Hydro is proud to be a Benefactor of the event and looking forward to attending.
The theme of this year's AERS Fall Meeting is "The power of framing your message: It's not what you say, it's how you say it!" Participants will gather at Stockton University to hear a variety of ignite-style presentations about misconceptions that typically surround scientific work, how to address them, and how to re-frame your message to be better understood by the general public and other non-scientists and increase stakeholder involvement. Princeton Hydro's Senior Aquatics Scientist Jack Szczepanski, PhD will be attending the conference; chat with him to learn more about our pond and lake services.
This year's SER New England conference brings together stewards, researchers, students, regulators, community activists and practitioners to explore innovative ecological restoration techniques and projects that connect communities within and across ecosystems. The conference includes a variety of plenary talks, field trips, workshops and a keynote address, which will be given by Stewart Diemont of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The keynote, titled "Learning from the People and the Land: Traditional Ecological Knowledge Toward Restoration of Ecosystems and of our Connection with Nature," is free and open to the public.
Members of the Princeton Hydro are attending the conference and leading two sessions: Laura Wildman, Water Resources and Fisheries Engineer, is leading a workshop about implementing dam removal to restore rivers. Paul Woodworth, Fluvial Geomorphologist, is presenting on the post-dam removal monitoring of active and passive restoration approaches utilizing the Hyde Pond Dam removal as a tangible example.
HDC-SETAC is a professional society for scientists, engineers and related disciplines concerned with environmental science and health throughout the Hudson River and Delaware River metropolitan area. The 2018 Fall Workshop, being held at Villanova University, aims to enhance participants’ knowledge of “Harmful Algal Blooms and other Emerging Contaminants.” Princeton Hydro’s Director of Aquatic Programs Dr. Fred Lubnow is giving a presentation on “The Monitoring and Management of Cyanotoxins in Raw Water Supplies.” We hope to see you there!
ANJEC, a nonprofit organization supporting efforts to protect the environment and preserve natural resources in communities throughout New Jersey, is hosting its 45th Annual Environmental Congress at Mercer County College. The Environmental Congress is an annual statewide gathering of environmental commissions, local officials, agencies, citizen groups and environmental organizations, which includes an exhibitors hall, farmer's market, and workshops on a variety of current environmental topics. Princeton Hydro, a business member of the ANJEC, will be exhibiting during the event. Stop by the booth to say hello to Dr. Stephen J. Souza, Princeton Hydro Founder and ANJEC Board of Trustees member, and Dana Patterson, Communications Strategist for Princeton Hydro.
NJAFM is hosting its 14th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Atlantic City, NJ. Participants will attend meetings and seminars covering topics, including hazard mitigation, flood insurance, infrastructure, mapping, planning, flood modeling, regulations, floodproofing, stormwater management, flood proofing, construction standards and more. Princeton Hydro's Christiana Pollack, GISP, CFM and NJDEP's Jessica Jahre, PP, AICP, CFM are giving a presentation, titled "A Flood Assessment for the Future," for which they'll showcase a flood assessment and flood mitigation analysis that Princeton Hydro performed in the Lower Moodna Creek Watershed.
Riverkeeper and Patagonia present the premiere of "Undamming the Hudson River," a short documentary film by National Geographic filmmaker Jon Bowermaster showcasing Riverkeeper’s efforts to restore natural habitat by eliminating obsolete dams throughout the Hudson River Estuary. The screening will be followed by refreshments and a panel discussion, moderated by Bowermaster, featuring experts in the field and an audience Q&A. Panelists, include:
This event is free and open to the public and will take place at Patagonia SoHo, 72 Greene St, New York, NY 10012 from 7:30 - 10pm.
MAC URISA 2018, the largest GIS conference in the Mid-Atlantic region, will showcase outstanding and innovative uses of GIS technologies in the area. The program includes a variety of presentations, breakout sessions, a GIS Techspo forum, lightening talks, and more. Thomas Hopper, Princeton Hydro's GIS Analyst, is providing a technical demonstration on the Linkage Mapper GIS Toolkit, which was created by the Nature Conservancy to support habitat connectivity analyses.
NALMS is hosting its 38th International Symposium in Cincinnati Ohio, titled "Now Trending: Innovations in Lake Management." This year’s symposium includes a robust exhibit hall, a variety of field trips, and a wide array of presentations on topics ranging from the latest in monitoring technologies to combating invasive species to nutrient and water quality management and more. Princeton Hydro's Dr. Fred Lubnow, Director of Aquatic Programs, and Dr. Stephen Souza, Founder, both of whom have been members of NALMS since its inception, are presenting and exhibiting during the conference.
SAME gives leaders from the A/E/C, environmental, and facility management industries the opportunity to come together with federal agencies in order to showcase best practices and highlight future opportunities for small businesses to work in the federal market. Princeton Hydro is proud to be attending the 2018 SAME SBC Conference, which is being held in New Orleans and co-locating with the Department of Veteran's Affairs' National Veterans Small Business Engagement. The program consists of networking events, small business exhibits, a variety of speakers and much more.
Freshwater mussels are among the oldest living and second most diverse organisms on Earth with over 1,000 recognized species. Here in the eastern part of the U.S., we have more species of freshwater mussels than anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, freshwater mussels are one of the most rapidly declining animal groups in North America. Out of the 300 species and subspecies found on the continent, 70 (23%) have been federally listed as "Threatened" or "Endangered" under the Endangered Species Act. And, in the last century, over 30 species have become permanently extinct. So, why are populations declining so fast?
Freshwater mussels are filter feeders and process large volumes of the water they live in to obtain food. This means of survival also makes them highly susceptible to industrial and agricultural water pollution. Because they are constantly filtering water, the contaminants and pathogens that are present are absorbed into the mussel’s tissues. As such, mussels are good indicators of water quality and can greatly contribute to improving water quality by filtering algae, bacteria and organic matter from the water column.
Not only do freshwater mussels rely on water quality, they are dependent on fish and other aquatic organisms for reproductive success. In order for a freshwater mussel to complete the reproduction process, it must “infect” a host fish with its larvae. The method depends on the specie of mussel. Some species lure fish using highly modified and evolved appendages that mimic prey. When a fish goes into investigate the lures, the female mussel releases fertilized eggs that attach to the fish, becoming temporarily parasitic. Once the host fish is infected, it can transfer the mussel larvae upstream and into new areas of the river.
Both habitat loss from dam construction and the introduction of pesticides into the water supply has contributed to the decline of freshwater mussels. With approximately 300 mussel species in the U.S. alone, a critical component of restoring and revitalizing mussel populations is truly understanding their biology, which begins with the ability to properly differentiate each species and properly identify and catalog them. Princeton Hydro’s Senior Scientist Evan Kwityn, CLP and Aquatic Ecologist Jesse Smith recently completed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Fresh Water Mussel Identification Training at the National Conservation Training Center in West Virginia.
Through hands-on laboratory training, Evan and Jesse developed their freshwater mussel identification skills and their knowledge of freshwater mussel species biology. Course participants were tasked with mastering approximately 100 of the most common freshwater mussel species in the United States. They also learned about proper freshwater mussel collection labeling, the internal and external anatomy and meristics of a freshwater mussel, and distributional maps as an aid to freshwater mussel identification.
In a recently published press release, Tierra Curry, a senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity was quoted as saying, “The health of freshwater mussels directly reflects river health, so protecting the places where these mussels live will help all of us who rely on clean water. This is especially important now, when we see growing threats to clean water from climate change, agriculture and other sources.”
Princeton Hydro is committed to protecting water quality, restoring habitats, and managing natural resources. Read about some of our recent projects and contact us to discuss how we can help you.
To learn more about freshwater mussels, check out this video from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
The fishery of a lake is an intrinsic, incredibly dynamic element of a lake system, and managing a lake’s fishery can be a very complex endeavor. There is actually a lot more to it than simply stocking game fish. Although there is no “one way” in fisheries management, there are key guidelines that can be followed to maximize the recreational potential of your lake’s fishery and increase the success of your fishery management and stocking efforts. Over the past two decades, Princeton Hydro has been working with lake, pond, and reservoir managers to help them to align water quality, fishery, and ecological goals.
Princeton Hydro’s Founder, Dr. Steve Souza, recently gave a presentation on fisheries management at the Spring Meeting of the New Jersey Coalition of Lake Associations (NJCOLA). We’ve compiled a few essential elements from his presentation and have made the complete presentation available for free download.
Let’s dive in!
Recreational fishing is an outdoor activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. When children are introduced to fishing, it helps cultivate a connection to the environment, thereby promoting outdoor activity and environmental stewardship among today’s youth.
Anglers have always served as important advocates for the conservation of natural resources. The sale of fishing licenses financially supports wildlife habitat conservation and enhancement as well as the protection and improvement of water quality. This increases the ecological services and functions of lakes and adds to their societal and recreational benefits.
A healthy fishery can have significant positive impacts on water quality. In a balanced, healthy fishery the ratio of forage and game fish affects the entire food web, helping to maintain the proper balance of zooplankton and phytoplankton. The “top down” ecological control associated with a balanced fishery minimizes algae blooms, sustains good water clarity and stable water quality. However, when the fishery is out of balance, the water quality and overall ecological health of the lake often suffers.
Before you do any fish stocking, it’s best to conduct a fishery survey. A fishery survey provides the vital data needed to design a stocking and management plan.
A balanced lake fishery is dependent on good water quality, ample habitat, and the correct ratio of predator and prey fish species. A properly designed and implemented fishery survey generates the data needed to quantify the overall composition of the existing fish community (predator vs. prey), the make-up of the forage (food) base, and the density and robustness of the lake’s top piscivores (prized game fish).
The resulting data helps identify if your fishery is balanced, which fish to stock, and how many of each species to introduce. It will also provide the benchmarks needed to solidify your management goals and, later on, help determine if the goals are being met. To stay on track, we recommend that a comprehensive fishery survey be conducted once every three years. Be sure to use the correct types and combination of “active” and “passive” sampling gear and thoroughly sample both the open water and nearshore areas of the lake.
The survey should include the collection and analysis of water quality data, and the mapping of available habitat. Water column water quality “profiles” provide vital information pertaining to the lake’s thermal and dissolved oxygen properties; key factors for a healthy, vibrant fishery. Here are some basic water quality guidelines:
Water quality sampling should also include an assessment of the lake’s zooplankton and phytoplankton communities, the base of your lake’s food web.
During the survey, take the time to quantify and map the distribution of existing forage, spawning, and refuge habitat. Lack of adequate habitat can significantly impede the fishery’s sustainability. This begins with the bathymetric mapping of the lake, which is basically an underwater survey of the bottom of the lake. This mapping shows where and how much shallow water versus open water habitat exists. It can also help identify the location and distribution of important habitat types, such as shoals, rock piles, sandy open areas and natural structures (tree falls and snags). The data also helps determine where to create and introduce habitat, which can be in the form of brush piles, floating wetland islands, and other types of features that increase the spawning, recruitment, and foraging success of the fishery.
Once the fishery survey is completed, habitat is mapped and water quality analyzed, stocking can begin. In order to determine the specific stocking levels and rates that are right for your waterbody, here are some factors to consider:
Ensure your stocking efforts create or augment the correct ratio of predator (game) and prey (forage) fish.
Stock cautiously, focusing on a simple composition of predator and prey species. For most warm water lakes, largemouth bass should serve as the top predator and fathead minnow should be the primary prey.
Avoid problem fish, such as golden shiner, alewife and brown/black bullhead. Although these fish are often promoted as suitable forage species, they can be easily get overstocked and cause major disruptions of the fishery and to the degradation of water quality.
Go here for a more in-depth look at how to properly stock your fishery.
A healthy sustainable fishery isn’t only a function of the types and amounts of fish stocked in a lake; it is directly a function of water quality, the availability and quality of spawning, foraging and refuge habitat, the ratio of forage to predator fish, and the overall composition and balance of the food web.
Begin with a fishery survey; the resulting data enables a correctly planned and implemented stocking program. Conduct routine surveys to assess the status of the fishery and the success of the program. Also, annual water quality testing provides the information needed to make wise pro-active fishery management decisions. It will also provide insights into the lake’s environmental conditions to ensure they are supportive of a healthy, productive and sustainable recreational fishery.
If you’re interested in learning more about Princeton Hydro’s fisheries management or lake management services, please contact us.
Click here to download a full copy of Dr. Souza’s presentation, titled “How’s the Fishing? Maximizing the Recreational Potential of Your Lake’s Fishery,” which he recently presented at the NJCOLA Spring Meeting. The presentation provides an in-depth set of guidelines for fishery management, covering topics like data collection methods, habitat creation and enhancement, maximizing habitat quality, and details on various stocking species to consider for your lake.
NJCOLA unites lake communities throughout New Jersey through education and by formulating legislation favorable to the protection and enhancement of the State’s lake resources. NJCOLA meetings, held on a regular basis in the spring and fall, educate members on various topics and issues affecting lake communities ranging from legal to environmental.
The Spring NJCOLA meeting was well attended with over 60 participants representing lakes throughout New Jersey, including a number of lakes that are managed by Princeton Hydro - Lake Mohawk, Lake Hopatcong, White Meadow Lake, Lake Swanannona, Kehmah Lake, Culver Lake and Swartswood Lake.
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