Ensure Your Shoreline is Repaired and Looking Beautiful
Shoreline erosion is a serious issue for many ponds and lakes. Rainfall, wind, waves, and human activity like irresponsible herbicidal treatments of the shorelines are all major causes for shoreline erosion.
The effects can be loss of shoreline property, loss of depth due to the displacement of shoreline soil, loss of aesthetic appeal, and creation of shoreline cracks and gullies. Over time, if not attended to, it will keep getting worse.
This problem has affected many homeowners associations, developments, commercial properties, golf courses, and private residences. Rely on the experts at Superior Waterway Services to provide you with a cost-effective, innovative, and environmentally responsible solution for shoreline erosion.
This solution is known as Geotube Erosion Control System.
Hire Us to Build a Sturdy and Durable Erosion Barrier
When you choose us, you’ll get a team of experienced professionals to build a solid erosion barrier that will put an end to shoreline erosion. The material we use to build this shoreline border is a high-quality polypropylene fabric that has ultraviolet stabilizers sewn into large tubes.
The large tubes are then installed and anchored on the shorelines, to be restored. These tubes are interconnected along the shoreline, and a hydraulic sand dredge is used to pump soil, sand, and organic material into the tubes. This fills them up with the same material that was eroded from the shoreline.
The fabric material is porous, and allows water and moisture to escape, and allows the bottom material to stay in the Geotube. This helps restore the aesthetic appeal of the shoreline.
Get a Shoreline Buffer to Prevent Erosion Damage
When you get a shoreline border installed, rest assured that the lifespan and durability are unlimited. Another benefit of the Geotube system is that the material used to fill it has been dredged from the bottom of the lake, thus removing the material that caused excessive shallowness near the shoreline.
In addition to this, the accumulated muck and organic debris get removed too. If you need effective lake management, reach out to us. We’ll visit your site and understand the problem and tailor a suitable solution that meets your needs, environmental and local regulations, and budget.
Choose Us to Help With Water Quality Restoration
When you choose us, you’ll get a team that has 21 years of experience in this industry. We can handle a variety of water quality issues as our business primarily deals with issues regarding water quality.
Along with this, we conduct an aquatic survey where we inspect the lake or pond to determine the condition of the body of water. We look for the following:
- Weeds and algae present
- Weeds and algae praWater coloresent
- Water depth
- Presence of debris
- Presence of muck layers
- Water flow
- Fish and wildlife present
- Oxygen levels
- Any possible source of pollution or nutrient inflows
- Structural deficiencies
- Noticeable smells
Depending on the situation, we’ll conduct more accurate testing through an EPA-certified lab. Using the results, we’ll be able to diagnose the problem and form a suitable solution that is sure to restore the lake or pond to look fresh and clean.
Turn to us to determine the problem with your pond. We’ll be able to suggest solutions that are economically sound and environmentally sensitive.
Common Water Quality Issues and Possible Solutions
- High level of nutrients - The method to determine this is by testing the water. Nitrogen and phosphorous are a major cause for the overgrowth of weeds and filamentous and planktonic algae. They come from various places like lawn fertilizers, decomposing weeds, septic tank seepage, and street runoff. There are different ways to get rid of the nutrient load in the lake, and they are beneficial bacterial applications, aeration systems, application of nutrient-reducing material like aluminum sulfate. In addition to this, aquascaping or mitigation is another common method that is used. Here the plants are placed in the lake, their roots absorb excess nutrients, and the plants help in providing food and cover for the wildlife
- Poor water color - This can be caused by mud or dirt particles, planktonic algae, dissolved tannins that give the water a "tea" color. Adding alum, algaecides, and bacteria can help curb these problems. Shoreline restoration is another way to restore it. When the shoreline is maintained, there is a reduction in the washing in of excess dirt and mud from the banks, thus reducing poor color and turbidity issues
- Cloudy or turbid water / poor clarity - There are many causes for cloudy water, if it's dirt mud, we will add a material called alum or a polymer flocculant. This makes the dirt or mud to clump up and sink to the bottom. Another cause for cloudy water is planktonic algae. If the environmental conditions are right, the algae can multiply to concentrations of millions of cells per quart of water. This imparts a green color to the water with a possibility of bad odor, and a release of toxic by-products. Algaecides can be added, causing the algae to coagulate and sink to the bottom, thus improving clarity. The algaecide can also be used to kill the algae, which then results in a rapid improvement in the water clarity. Alum also has the quality of reducing phosphorous content which then results in less growth and improved water clarity. Another common procedure is the scheduled application of different types of beneficial bacteria that is designed to reduce nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous
- Low oxygen and stagnation problems - This is caused by shallow high-nutrient water conditions. The best way to curb this problem is by getting an aeration system, either bottom mounted or surface based
- Odor issues - These problems are the result of toxic gases escaping from the bottom of the pond or lake when the water is stagnant. Different types of algae emit these gases. The solution is to add a good aeration system that circulates the water to avoid stagnation and increase the oxygen levels. It also helps oxidize bad iron compounds and reduce bottom muck. This results in giving new life to ponds and lakes. Another effective method is beneficial to bacteria applications
The Need for Nutrients to Sustain Life in the Lake
Nutrients are needed by both plants and animals. A healthy lake needs nutrients to form algae, which is the base of the food chain and helps support the entire aquatic ecosystem. Nutrients are required for all life, but too much or too less of it is bad and can lead to recurring problems.
The Role of Alum and Phosphorus
Both phosphorus and alum play an integral role in making sure that the aquatic ecosystem thrives and gives room to both plant and animal life.
Excess amounts of phosphorus causes aquatic plants and algae to grow and multiply rapidly, exceeding the amount required to support the food chain. When the excess growth of algae dies and the microorganisms break it down, it gets dissolved in oxygen. This is needed by the aquatic organisms and can be completely used up by the breakdown process.
This whole process can possibly include more algae to be formed, bad odor, and the death of the aquatic organisms including fish.
Alum is a substance that is added to the water to form aluminum phosphate and a colloidal hydroxide floc which helps in binding the phosphorus fractions. The floc helps in settling down the water column, removes large amounts of particulates, and forms a cover over the sediment.
Depending on the conditions of the lake, this treatment has proven effective from a few months up to 20 years after treatment. Alum treatment plays a major role in lake restoration by removing phosphorus, this process helps reduce algae, improve water clarity, and increase usable fish habitat.