Environmental Studies

Serving Wisconsin and N. Illinois including Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Janesville, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Rockford, Waupaca, Woodstock, and all surrounding communities.

Understanding your resource is a critical component to overall lake and pond management.  Lake and Pond Solutions LLC is experienced in many facets of environmental study including stormwater inspection, sediment surveys, water quality analysis, dissolved oxygen monitoring, plant surveys, and sonar mapping.

Stormwater Inspection

One of the most common environmental studies, stormwater basin inspections are a vital and required component of a stormwater management plan, especially for our Wisconsin pond owners.  Our staff is professionally trained in stormwater inspection through the North American Stormwater and Erosion Control Association of Wisconsin (NASECA-WI).  This training program was established in 2010 to set baseline knowledge criteria for workers who install and inspect erosion control practices.  Typical wet basin inspections including assessment of the inflow points, forebay, main pool, embankment, and outlet.  Lake and Pond Solutions LLC will perform the survey work and complete the required reports to submit to your municipality.

Sediment Surveys

During a sediment survey, we look at current water depth and soft sediment accumulation in the pond to determine the average sediment accumulation, storage capacity/volume lost, and estimated rate of sedimentation.  These components are usually required in a stormwater inspection but can also provide valuable information for all pond owners in Wisconsin and Illinois.  Lake and Pond Solutions LLC also can collect samples for lab analysis, looking at components like % organic material, phosphorus, and many others.  This survey work can usually lead to additional recommended management like pond aeration or the application of Triton SRPx (sludge reduction pellets) in an attempt to reduce accumulations.

Water Quality Analysis

Annual water quality analysis is an important tool in assessing yearly changes.  There are many times over the life of a lake or pond when unusual conditions occur.  Past water quality data is very useful in explaining these occurrences and shaping management decisions.  The analyses (performed by a state certified lab) available for Wisconsin and Illinois clients includes nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen), basic chemistry (like pH and hardness), metals, E. Coli bacteria, VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), chlorophyll a, and many others.

Dissolved Oxygen Monitoring

Tracking dissolved oxygen throughout the year allows for educated decisions on the health of your fish and the need to add or upgrade pond aeration.  We don’t just provide this service in the summer; we can also take dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles through the ice.

Plant Surveys

Aquatic plant surveys are an important tool to highlight changes in an aquatic plant community including exotic species spread.  For lakes that perform management (like mechanical harvesting and invasive control), Point Intercept (PI) surveys are required every five years.  Additionally, each spring it is common to perform meander surveys to record invasive species.  These aren’t reserved just for lakes though.  We can utilize randomized grids and meander surveys for assessing pond plant communities too.

Sonar Mapping

Sonar mapping provides a comprehensive and historical look at your lake or pond.  Raw sonar data is uploaded to a specialized program to produce bathymetric, relative hardness, and plant density maps.  Mapping the lake over time can determine areas of change, rates of sedimentation, monitor success of dredging projects, provide accurate volumes, and aid in management decision making.

No matter the type of environmental studies you are looking for, Lake and Pond Solutions LLC has you covered in Wisconsin and Illinois.