Penn State Extension Resources for Pond and Lake Owners

It is estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of earthen ponds and lakes in Pennsylvania. Most of these water bodies were built between the 1930s and the 1970s when government cost-share programs provided funding to increase water supplies for farms and homes in rural areas of the state. As these ponds and lakes age, problems with leaks, sediment, algae, aquatic plants, and water quality become more common. Penn State Extension has created dozens of short articles, videos, and courses to assist with some of the most common pond and lake management issues.

Getting to Know Your Pond or Lake

Proper management of ponds and lakes starts with an understanding of the pond ecology and how to conduct an assessment and inspection of the pond structure, including water testing. These inspections and water tests could uncover leaks, safety concerns, or water quality conditions that might affect the intended uses of the pond.

• Getting to Know Your Pond (short video)
• Pond Ecology
• Pond Agencies and Permits in Pennsylvania
• Pond Assessment and Inspection
• Assessing Your Pond: A checklist for Pond Owners
• Fixing a Leaking Pond
• Pond Measurements: Area, Volume, and Residence Time
• Water Quality Concerns for Ponds
• Interpreting Water Tests for Ponds and Lakes
• Farm Pond Safety
• Five Tips for a Healthy Pond (short video)

Identifying and Managing Aquatic Plants and Algae

The most common problem or concern reported by pond and lake owners is nuisance growth of various aquatic plants and algae. These concerns tend to increase as a water body ages and becomes shallower. The first step is to properly identify the plant or algae before considering control, because some common aquatic plants are beneficial to the aquatic ecosystem. Other non-native, invasive plants and harmful algae blooms can cause problems with the pond ecosystem.  There are various physical, biological, or chemical strategies that can be used to control any aquatic plant or algae.

• A Field Guide to Common Aquatic Plants of Pennsylvania
• Aquatic Plant Identification (short video)
• Identifying Aquatic Plants (short video)
• Pond Ecology and the Role of Aquatic Plants (short video)
• Planktonic Algae
• Chara and Nitella
• Filamentous Algae
• Harmful Algae Blooms (short video)
• Pond Algae: Its Not All Bad
• Duckweed and Watermeal
• Curly-Leaf Pondweed
• Elodea (Common Waterweed)
• Eurasian Water Milfoil
• Naiad
• Coontail
• Mosquito Fern
• Water Chestnut
• Aquatic Invasive Species in Pennsylvania
• Facts About Aquatic Invasive Species and Water Gardens
• Mid-Atlantic Pocket Guide to Water Garden Species
• Aquatic Wetland Noxious Weed List
• Causes and Prevention of Aquatic Plant and Algae Growth (short video)
• Management of Aquatic Plants
• Permit Requirement for Use of An Aquatic Herbicide in Ponds
• Barley Straw for Algae Control
• Using Grass Carp to Control Aquatic Plants
• Biological Control of Aquatic Plants (short video)
• Chemical Control of Aquatic Plants (short video)
• Physical Control of Aquatic Plants (short video)

Managing Pond and Lake Fisheries and Wildlife

Fishing and wildlife viewing are two of the most common recreational uses of earthen ponds and lakes. But, fish kills and nuisance wildlife are also two of the most common problems reported by pond and lake owners. Proper fisheries management involves stocking the correct species of fish, monitoring their population, and creating a management plan combining harvesting and stocking. Wildlife management starts with understanding species like snapping turtles and dragonflies, before considering how to best attract or discourage them.

• Management of Fish Ponds in Pennsylvania
• Fish for Pennsylvania Ponds
• Pond Fisheries Management
• Winterkill in Ponds
• Introduction to Aquaculture
• Common Causes of Fish Kills in Ponds
• Fish Population Exercise
• Dragons and Damsels Around Your Pond
• Canada Geese
• Muskrats

Online Courses

If you are interested in a comprehensive, online course that includes most of the material referenced above, Penn State Extension has developed Pond Management for Rural and Farm Pond Owners. This eight-hour course combines text, short videos, and narrated presentations into six chapters that address common pond problems such as leaks and maintenance issues, pond safety, excessive plant and algae growth, pond fishery management, and wildlife issues.

If you are a certified pesticide applicator looking for Category 9 Aquatic Pesticide credits, you might also be interested in Aquatic Pesticide Management: Using Aquatic Herbicides for Pond Weeds and Algae. This course provides three PDA Category 9 credits with information on pond measurements, plant identification, and control methods. It includes details on using an integrated pest management approach to design and implement effective management and control solutions.