Spring Peeper (USGS photo)

Sandhill CranesAround these parts the signs of an early Spring are everywhere. The daffodils are blooming, the chorus of the Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) is filling the early evening, and the Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) can been seen high above as they make the pilgrimage back North – all ahead of schedule. I remember some warm February days back in my college years, but I cannot ever remember such a long string of warm days as we have experienced this year. It will be interesting to see what surprises the weather will bring us in the weeks to come. I recall an early March ice storm that had the power out for a week and had our family gathered around the fireplace.

As for me, I am not ready for Spring just yet. I still have some winter hiking to complete as well as more time needed in front of the fireplace. I just don’t like to be rushed, but then I doubt Mother Nature really cares!

Until next time, 

Jim

The 21st annual Southeastern North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) Lake & Watershed Conference will be held May 13-15, 2012 at the Ironworks Trade Center in Columbus, GA. This year's theme is "Ripple Effect: Balancing the Needs of Water Resources for a Sustainable Future." For more information and to register, visit the event page on the Georgia Lakes Society website.

Thank you to Janet and everyone else who entered. We appreciate our customers!

Photo credit: Jim Lanier

Here’s what got my mind on lake color: I was fortunate enough to spend some time in Washington State recently and had the chance to visit some of the glacial alpine lakes near Mount Rainer. On close inspection the water of the lake was clearer than clear. But when viewing the lake from a distance, the lake water took on brilliant aquamarine blue, like the waters of the Caribbean but even more intense. So what’s the story? This phenomenon is known as the Tyndall effect, named after the 19^th century physicist John Tyndall. The minute glacial silica particles suspended in the water of a glacial lake refract light; blue light is much stronger than red when fine particles are suspended in the water, so the result is a blue color. 

You can try your own experiment on the Tyndall effect. Add powdered milk to water in a clear glass container, then shine a flashlight through the water: it will appear blue! Since we do not have glacial lakes here in the South, this type of lake color is not the norm -- except maybe at Disney World . . . but that’s another story.

Until next time.

Jim

Is this pond scum? (Photo credit: iStockphoto.com)

If you don’t muck around in water for a living, it isn’t always easy to correctly identify what has suddenly appeared in, or appears to be overtaking, your pond. Understandably, folks who contact us often get creative in trying to describe the problem. Here are a few of the most common terms we hear, along with the likely actual culprit(s):

• Pond scum
• Green funk
• Green slime
• Green paint

A report of any of the above in the summer months almost always indicates an algae bloom – although in early spring, it may simply be an accumulation of pollen!

• Oil slick
• Greasy film
• Rusty water

Rarely do we find that oil or grease have actually been dumped or spilled into ponds that report these conditions; the sheen usually comes from a natural source, such as bacteria or byproducts of the breakdown of organic material. Similarly, “rust” is typically iron ochre that forms as a byproduct of iron bacteria metabolism.

• Seaweed
• Pond grass
• Lily pads
• Hydrilla/milfoil

Any of these terms naturally indicates the presence of some type of aquatic vegetation -- although seaweed is only found in the sea! Lily pads, hydrilla and milfoil do exist, of course, but not all floating plants are lily pads, nor is all grass growing underwater either hydrilla or milfoil. Tiny “lily pads” often prove to be watermeal or duckweed, while everything from alligatorweed to parrot’s feather (along with a variety of other aquatic plants) has been misidentified as hydrilla or milfoil.

We appreciate the sometime vivid terms used to describe aquatic issues, and we’re available to come make a visual identification and recommendation for treatment if needed.

Evan Carpenter
Lake Operations Manager

"That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics." 
— Aldo Leopold

Earth Day holds a special place in my heart for two reasons: 1) the date, April 22, is also my younger daughter’s birthday – and appropriately enough, our Earth Day “baby” (she’ll be 29 this year) loves the outdoors; and 2) as a professional in the field of aquatic resources, I support the general mission of Earth Day to raise awareness of how integral natural resources are to our lives.

I recently learned that Earth Day is the largest civic observance in the world, with more than one1 billion people participating in Earth Day activities last year. Here at Aquascape Environmental, our Mission Statement is “To provide superior ecological services that promote sound stewardship of our land and water resources.” The “care” our Earth is our mission.  We also try we try to bring a little bit of the Earth Day spirit into everything we do, through our Green Initiatives and our community involvement (you can learn more here and here).

Last year, in honor of the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day, we created a list of simple tips for keeping runoff clean (you can find those tips here). We’re going a step further this year by challenging everyone on our team – and everyone who reads this – to join in on the Earth Day Network’s “Billion Acts of Green.” All you have to do is go to act.earthday.org and pledge one act (big or small). You can create your own or “pledge” to fulfill an act posted by someone else. Some are as simple as “I pledge to eat more local food” or “I pledge to wash all my clothes in cold water,” but there are also bigger commitments like “I pledge to start a local community garden.” Check it out and consider joining in. Imagine what an impact a billion small acts could make!

Hope your Earth Day is a safe and happy one,

Jim

Photo copyright Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources

Photo copyright Michigan Dept. of Natural ResourcesWhile I look forward to spring, I will miss some parts of what winter brings. One of these is the woodstove in my home. I bought a Fisher Grandma stove back in 1978. Nothing fancy, but for 33 years it has burned many a cord of wood and brought recycled sunshine (warmth and glow) to me and my family. While it may sound crazy to a lot of you, I actually enjoy gathering firewood and the splitting process which must follow. The cutting is done with a chainsaw but the splitting is done the old-fashioned way with muscle and maul in hand. 

The process of splitting firewood must be performed in a similar manner to a kayaker reading the upcoming river rapids. The log has to be analyzed so that the minimum necessary effort is applied during the splitting process to achieve success. Red Oak splits likes butter while Hickory will make you pay dearly for your effort.  One life lesson that I have learned from my wood-splitting days is that if you only give the swing of the maul half your best you will probably come up empty. So always give it your best -- which is as it should be.

See you next time,

Jim

My horticultural interests started at an early age. Probably the first plant I learned to identify was honeysuckle. This naturally came during the barefoot days of summer from the hours of plucking the white and yellow flowers. Of course this activity was for the purpose of sucking the stems to reveal the nectar. The yellow flowers are the best! Then came fig trees, blackberries, cherries and you know the rest of the story.  Perhaps one of my earliest plant discoveries of the non-edible variety was the Sourwood tree (Oxydendrum aboreum). My discovery of this particular plant was due to a serious annual grudge that I developed against this tree. Why, you ask?

Well, my vendetta against the Sourwood began in grammar schools days. My parents had some friends who had a rustic cabin that overlooked Big Cedar Creek.  We went there often during the glorious days of summer. There was plenty to do and all of it fun. The cabin had a long, screened-in porch on the back with a gorgeous view of the creek and the woods. One of the prominent trees next to the porch was a Sourwood.  Now, the Sourwood is a lovely, graceful tree that means no harm, but in my younger days I despised it.  Its flaw, from my perspective, was that generally the Sourwood is the first tree to start to show color in the fall, usually around the end of August. (Hang in there, I’m getting there.) The tree’s genetic disposition was the cause of my ire because I quickly learned that when the Sourwood’s leaves started to change color, I would soon be sitting back in the classroom – and not having fun! (I have since made peace with the Sourwood and we are back on speaking terms.)

But now to my current conundrum: It’s the middle of October and leaf colors are changing all around, but the Sourwood trees are just now beginning to show color. Is this a trick? Is it a climatologic predictor?  Is the tree finally seeking revenge for my early transgressions?  I am not sure but it’s got me pondering.

Until next time.

Jim