Lending an ambience of serenity, ponds and other aquascapes are significant amenities for many homeowner associations. They also require periodic intervention to keep these bodies of water at their natural best.
Left untended, unwanted vegetation will grow, fish will die and odors will develop. In extreme cases, ponds can turn to marshes or dry up.
"You could create a breeding habitat for mosquitoes," said Rich Rollins, control consultant for Aquatic Weed Technology Inc. in Roselle. "Fish will eat the larvae if they can get at it, so you have to keep the weeds and algae down."
The best conditions for a healthy pond are a water depth of at least five feet, a few nearby trees for some shade and wind flow unblocked by buildings or forest to naturally aerate the water.
Many ponds, however, are dressed-up retention ponds whose real purpose is to manage storm-water runoff. Managing the ecology is the association's job.
"One of the first things you want to do is maintain your water depth," said specifications and design manager Rick Jones of Century Rain Aid, a Downers Grove distributor of pond maintenance and lawn irrigation supplies. "You can't let it get too shallow. Over time, the pond develops sediments. Plant materials die and fall to the bottom. Dust settles. The shallower the water, the warmer it is and then algae starts blooming."
Measure your water depth every couple of years, he advises. Have it dredged if you've got a murky build-up on the bottom. An overgrowth of algae is the most common problem in any pond. Among its causes are low oxygen levels, warm temperatures and sunlight.
A certain amount of vegetation is good because it provides fish places to spawn and gives little fish protection from big fish, but some native pond species are more desirable for these purposes than algae, said Rollins. "Try to keep vegetation to 20 percent of the body of water," he said.
Algae can be controlled in several ways, including dyes, which are not only pretty but help block sunlight, and herbicides. Fountains and aerators can also help by increasing the amount of oxygen in the water.
Because these appliances are generally electrically powered, professional installation is advised. Fountains must generally be removed during the winter. Aerators can be left in the water all year, although open water is attractive to geese that might otherwise migrate.
"Nothing is a cure-all," said Jones. "It usually takes a combination of things. Even if you put an aerator in your pond, it's not going to kill all the algae overnight. It's going to help create a balance in the pond, and that might take a season or more to occur."
Another element of pond maintenance is preventing bank erosion. Unless they are properly supported, the edges of the pond will gradually wear away. The result is an unattractive appearance and unsafe banks. Retaining walls, layers of rock and certain forms of landscaping can keep your pond's borders crisp. Timbers are not a great idea because they tend to rot, said Jones.
"We recommend that people leave about a five-foot, unmowed strip from the edge," said Rollins. "But most people don't want that. They want the grass mowed right to the edge of the pond. [The unmowed strip] helps with erosion control. It acts as a natural filter for the runoff. Plus, geese don't care to go through it because they are scared of snakes and anything hiding in the tall grasses."
Not only do goose droppings make a mess of landscaping, they increase bacteria and decrease oxygen in the water. Try to discourage them from making your pond their permanent habitat. "You have to keep trying different things," said Jones. "Something that works this year might not work next year."
Seminar. The Illinois Chapter of the Community Associations Institute is sponsoring a seminar on budgets and reserves from 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 8 at Drury Lane, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The cost is $30 for members; $40 for non-members. For information and reservations, call 630-980-0251.
You can write to Pamela Dittmer McKuen in care of Community Living, Chicago Tribune, Your Place section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611. Please include your phone number. E-mail PMckuen@aol.com.