In March, your lake in northeast Illinois and southeast Wisconsin is transitioning from the Winter chill to warmer weather. The water temperature is still cold, limiting significant plant or algae growth. But activity is starting to happen, some that you can’t necessarily see, that will impact how your lake “behaves” come Summer.
Nutrient deactivation is a process that reduces the availability of nutrients—primarily phosphorus—in the water column and sediments. This process helps control the invasion of duckweed (Lemna spp.) in lakes and ponds
Regularly inspecting your stormwater BMPs (retention basins, dry ponds, vegetated swales) is essential to keeping them functional and effective. Over time, sediment buildup, erosion, and clogging can reduce their ability to manage runoff and filter pollutants. Culverts can crack or separate, causing runoff issues. Without proper maintenance, these issues can lead to system failures, costly repairs, and increased flooding risks. The best way to know if maintenance is needed is to inspect your BMP at least once a year.
Buckthorn is an aggressively invasive plant species that threatens the health of native plants and animals in environments across the United States. To maintain a healthy, balanced ecosystem, you need to remove buckthorn from your property. Unfortunately, eliminating...
Once favored for its beauty and rapid growth, the Callery Pear has become an invasive menace in the Midwest.
If you pass by any water-related environment that has been left in the hands of Mother Nature, you’ll probably see cattails. These perennials are some of the most common aquatic plants, particularly in ponds, lakes, and marshes, that can grow 5-10 feet in height. Even...
When aquatic plants are fully grown and have reached the surface of your lake or pond (we call this “topping out”), manually removing them using specialized equipment is often the best solution. This entails raking, pulling, or cutting the plants and removing them from the water. Manually removing excessive aquatic plants from a lake can offer several benefits
Plants and algae are essential for all living things. However, excessive algae growth, often called an algae bloom, can negatively affect a lake’s ecosystem and surroundings. ILM explores some of the reasons why too much algae can be detrimental.
The emergent zone in a lake refers to the area along the shoreline where emergent plants grow. These plants are rooted in the sediment beneath the water but extend above the surface, often forming a dense vegetation belt along the water’s edge.
Winter is a great time to work on improving our woodland habitats. “Winter woody work” involves removing invasive tree and shrub species and sometimes thinning aggressive native woody species. Why is winter the best season for this work? Some of the...
