Microcystis is a genus of cyanobacteria that often forms slick, paint-like surface scums and mats in lakes and ponds, especially when nutrient levels are high. Some strains produce microcystin toxins, which pose risks to human, pet, and wildlife health via direct contact or ingestion.
Why Microcystis Spikes in Fall
Fall conditions create a “perfect storm” for blooms:
- Nutrient recycling: As water mixes, phosphorus and nitrogen are released from bottom sediments.
- Stable weather: Calm, sunny days let colonies float to the surface and form scums.
- Overwintering: Microcystis can survive in sediments and return strong the next year.
What You Can Do Now (When a Bloom Appears)
If a bloom appears, treat it promptly and carefully:
- Treat early – Targeted algaecides can help, though improper timing may release toxins.
- Aeration and mixing – Keep oxygen levels up and surface scums down.
- Phosphorus binding – Apply in-lake treatments that tie up excess phosphorus and cut off fuel for blooms.
How to Prevent Microcystis Next Season
Jones Lake Management recommends combining long-term, proactive watershed practices with off-season remediation:
Long-Term Nutrient Management
- Limit fertilizer use near the shoreline, especially phosphorus-rich products.
- Manage stormwater with basins, swales, or wetlands to slow and treat flows.
- Reduce organic matter (leaves, grass clippings) from entering the water.
Off-Season Remediation
- Have the biologists at Jones Lake Management apply phosphorus-binding or sediment-amending products in late fall or winter, when biology is less active.
- Use beneficial bacteria that break down organic matter before spring.
- Consider aeration or oxygenation to stop phosphorus release under ice.
Why Science + Strategy Wins Over Reactive Treatment
Reactive treatments (e.g. one-off algaecide sprays) often provide only temporary relief. Without addressing underlying nutrient sources, blooms tend to return, sometimes worse than before.
Jones Lake Management’s integrated approach combines biological monitoring, aeration, nutrient-binding treatments, watershed best practices, and occasional algaecide use. We focus on ecosystem balance, not short-term fixes.
For property owners, HOAs, commercial properties, and golf courses, the payoff is beautiful water bodies, safer recreation, healthier fish populations, and less ongoing expense battling recurring blooms.
If you’d like help analyzing your site’s vulnerability, creating a fall-to-spring nutrient reduction plan, or scheduling a professional site audit, we’d be glad to help.
About Jones Lake Management
Since 1949, Jones Lake Management has been a trusted leader in lake and pond management, delivering scientifically backed solutions to create and maintain healthy, balanced, and beautiful waterbodies. Our expert team offers a full range of services, including fish stocking, fisheries management, water quality monitoring, algae and aquatic weed control, aeration solutions, erosion control, invasive species management, hydraulic dredging, and more. Whether you manage a private lake, an HOA stormwater pond, a golf course water feature, or a municipal waterway, we provide customized solutions to ensure your waterbody remains healthy, functional, and thriving.
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