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Soil, Plant, and Water Laboratory 2400 College Station Road Athens, Georgia 30602-9105 http://aesl.ces.uga.edu |
Results and Recommendations
Toxic Algal Cell Concentration: cells/ml Examples:
Non-Toxic Algal Cell Concentration: cells/ml Examples:
Algal toxin screening (Microcystin concentration): ppb Examples:
Microcystin toxin is present at levels that may cause animal sickness or death. The following short term actions are recommended:
- Remove cattle from pond
- Treat pond with algaecides (copper sulfate, sodium percarbonate) 1,2
- Retest for toxins approximately 7 days after treatment
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Long term solutions if algae persist after treatment:
- Pipe pond water to tanks located away from pond for animal watering 3
- Manage nutrient sources in the watershed by reducing fertilization and increase vegetated buffer at the edge of the pond 3,4
- Dredge pond to remove nutrient-rich sediment and increase water depth 3
1 Burtle, Gary. 2012. Managing algal blooms and the potential for algal toxins in pond water
http://www.caes.uga.edu/Publications/pubDetail.cfm?pk_id=8008&pg=np&ct=pond%20dredging&kt=&kid=&pid=
2 Lewis, George. Using chemicals in pond management. Bulletin 866. Reviewed May 2012.
http://www.caes.uga.edu/Publications/pubDetail.cfm?pk_id=6040&pg=np&ct=pond%20dredging&kt=&kid=&pid=
3 Fowler, et al. 2007. Conservation practices to protect surface water quality.
http://www.gaepd.org/Files_PDF/techguide/wpb/Agriculture_Best_Management_Practices_March_2007.pdf
4 Gaskin, Julie and Glen Harris. Nutrient management
http://www.caes.uga.edu/applications/publications/files/pdf/B%201152-16_2.PDF