Addressing Nuisance Aquatic Plant and Algae Problems through Pond Water Quality Testing

Addressing Nuisance Aquatic Plant and Algae Problems through Pond Water Quality Testing is part of a grant project that will offer instruction and free water testing for a limited number of rural farm pond owners in Pennsylvania. Pond and lake owners will be taught how to collect a water sample and send it to the Penn State Agriculture and Analytic Service Laboratory to help determine the current nutrient status of their waterbody and develop management practices such as aeration, buffer strips, and/or algaecides to prevent or control future algae blooms.

There are thousands of inland ponds and lakes located throughout Pennsylvania and many common uses of these water bodies include direct human or animal contact with the water. Harmful algae blooms (HAB’s) and other nuisance algae have become an increasing concern in among Pennsylvania pond and lake owners over the past few years.

A limited number of pond testing kits are available for registrants. Registrants must attend the webinar to receive the pond water testing kit in the mail including free return shipping. Households and organizations that received a free pond water test kit from Penn State Extension in 2020 are ineligible for a free pond water test in 2021.

Testing is limited to ponds or lakes located in Pennsylvania. Multiple family members or representatives of organizations responsible for the management of a pond or lake may register for these programs, but testing is limited to one free test per family or organization. 

This program is made possible with a grant from the Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center.

This event is being offered at no charge to participants. Registration is required to receive the link to access the webinar. Registrants will also receive access to the webinar recording.

For more information and to register for this event, click here.