Aquatic Solutions
When nature needs restoration, we bring back balance to your water.
Lakes, ponds, and natural water bodies are environments that bring peace, beauty, and joy into our lives. As humans move to enjoy lakes more frequently, we also bring unintended impacts, and careful aquatic water management becomes necessary to preserve these places. Without attentive oversight and preservation, toxic organisms, invasive species, and overgrown vegetation can disrupt and overwhelm the delicate balance of an ecosystem.
At Earth Science Laboratories (ESL), we understand the importance of effectively managing recreational waters. We are dedicated to providing comprehensive solutions that solve clients’ problems and protect our planet’s most precious natural resource.
Our team of experts develop targeted solutions to a diverse range of challenges, including aquatic vegetation management, algae control, invasive species, and water quality restoration. Our solutions are designed to target harmful or nuisance algae, plants, and invasives with minimal impact on the environment and other living organisms.
Sustainable algae prevention
When algae run rampant, it disrupts the water’s natural beauty and can pose a danger to native wildlife and people. Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) and the cyanobacteria that cause them can leach toxins into the water, presenting health risks to humans and animals alike (Brooks et al., 2015). Control of excessive algae blooms is a growing concern for lake managers and pond owners, who often turn to algaecides for help. Many algaecides act by disrupting the photosynthesis process in algae cells to curb overgrowth. Applicators must consider the potential consequences of algaecides on native organisms and other forms of life. We seek to provide solutions that deliver maximum efficacy with minimum impact on non-target organisms. Overdosing is common with traditional copper sulfate algaecide treatments (Hanson & Stefan, 1984), and EarthTec offers an alternative solution for management of nuisance species.
EarthTec is a low-dose, ionic copper algaecide that controls pervasive algae and bacteria. Traditional solid copper sulfate algaecides require extensive chemical quantities and time to see results. EarthTec contains 99.5% bioactive cupric copper ions that are immediately bioavailable and can eliminate algal blooms in 24-48 hours with a single application. EarthTec’s low-dosage applications self-disperse without mixing to reduce waste and improve water quality. Pretreating raw water with EarthTec can prevent HABs, control algae, and may reduce the use of other chemicals.
Invasive species control
Increased human traffic to natural bodies of water raises the likelihood of introduction and infestation by invasive species. When non-native animals or organisms are introduced to a foreign environment, they can quickly colonize and spread unchecked within ecosystems unprepared to combat them. Invasive mussels and snails are some of the many aquatic invasive species that can threaten, endanger, and even make extinct native wildlife. Infestations of aquatic invasive species cause significant environmental harm and economic expense to manage and eradicate. They out-compete native species for resources, diminish our enjoyment of recreational waters, and damage boats or other recreational water equipment. Invasive species spread rapidly and can overwhelm an ecosystem, especially if there is a delayed or inadequate response from lake managers or owners. Learn more about aquatic invasive species here.
EarthTec QZ is a rapid-response solution to prevent invasive species from overtaking lakes and ponds. It controls and prevents infestations more effectively than traditional solid copper sulfate treatments by keeping the copper in a liquid cupric ion form, yielding greater efficacy at lower dose rates that are approved for use in fish-bearing waters. EarthTec QZ’s unique liquid formulation self-disperses evenly throughout a treatment area without degrading. The result is targeted, effective control that has resulted in cases of total eradication of invasive species such as quagga mussels (Hammond & Ferris, 2019).
Finding your ideal aquatic management solution
Aquatic ecosystems are complex, and their maintenance requires exacting and precise care. At ESL, we are committed to supporting responsible water and ecosystem stewardship. We take pride in our practical and sustainable products that meet the unique needs of our clients. With our comprehensive and scientific solutions, we can ensure that our lakes, ponds, and natural bodies of water remain healthy and productive for generations to come. Contact our team today to learn how we can help you provide Clean Water for the Planet®.
References
Brooks, B. W., Lazorchak, J. M., Howard, M. D. A., Johnson, M.-V. V., Morton, S. L., Perkins, D. A. K., Reavie, E. D., Scott, G. I., Smith, S. A., & Steevens, J. A. (2015). Are harmful algal blooms becoming the greatest inland water quality threat to public health and aquatic ecosystems? Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 35(1), 6–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3220
Hammond D, Ferris G (2019). Low doses of EarthTec QZ ionic copper used in effort to eradicate quagga mussels from an entire Pennsylvania lake. Management of Biological Invasions: 10 (3) 2019. https://www.reabic.net/journals/mbi/2019/Issue3.aspx
Hanson, M. J., & Stefan, H. G. (1984). Side effects of 58 years of copper sulfate treatment of the Fairmont Lakes, Minnesota. Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 20(6), 889–900. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1984.tb04797.x