LAKE AERATION Project

Lake Project – Getting Proposals

The lake in JLV is owned by the community. In order to keep the lake fresh and in a natural state for fish and other native animals it needs to be aerated. This keeps the lake free of mosquitos and insects and helps to keep vegetation from growing around the edges. Besides the aesthetic beauty of the fountain and the calming sound of the water flowing, there are many benefits with this process:

Benefits of Lake Aeration

• Prevents algal blooms: Aeration promotes beneficial bacteria that break down excess nutrients, making them unavailable for nuisance algae.
• Creates a healthier habitat: By increasing oxygen throughout the water column, aeration provides more living space for fish and other aquatic life.
• Reduces sediment buildup: Aeration speeds up the decomposition of organic matter on the lake bottom, which helps prevent the accumulation of muck and can reduce the need for future dredging.
• Improves water clarity and reduces odors: The continuous circulation and mixing of water lead to less stagnant areas, which improves clarity and eliminates the foul smells associated with them.
• Helps prevent fish kills: It ensures oxygen is distributed throughout the water, so fish don’t die off during hot weather or in the unlikely event of the lake freezing over.
• Stops water stratification: Aeration systems work by mixing the warmer surface water with the colder bottom water, preventing the formation of layers and ensuring oxygen is distributed evenly. 

Why it’s especially important in Florida

• Florida’s warm climate means lakes naturally have less dissolved oxygen and are more susceptible to stratification and overheating.
• The high nutrient levels in many Florida lakes can lead to rapid algal growth if not managed.
• Aeration is an effective and sustainable method for managing these common issues without relying solely on chemicals. 

Here is the plan for the lake:

The Board is currently discussing this project. We are in the process of getting Proposals in order to have 3 to 5 quotes to compare.

Rather than have a lake aeration system installed into the bottom of the lake we are moving toward installing an aerating fountain. Here are the differences between these two options:

The Bubbling Aeration system blows air through bottom sitting devices that bubble upward. They require a motor to be placed into the existing sprinkle housing area in a boxed cabinet to help keep the noise lower. A series of tubes are then placed into the water for the air to be pumped to the devices. Since our lake has many culverts (pipes that allow flow into the other lakes in the area) it will and does naturally flow in and out on its own.

The Surface Aerator system is a single fountain installed in the center of the lake that pulls cooler water off the bottom of the lake and recirculates it into the air which aerates the lake with the warmer water coming down. The added advantage to the fountain is the aesthetics of having it lighted at night and the soothing sound of the water.

The proposals will be listed here as we get them in.

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Notes About the Lake

The Lake Reserve Fund collects $7500 each year out of COA Maintenance Fees to go toward the lake projects. Currently there is about $35,000 in the Fund.

We have a Lake Contract with Lake & Wetland Management for $1,800 per year which come out of our operating funds. They spray chemicals to stop algae and vegetation growth. There will be less vegetation with the aerator installed and less chance of algae build up. We are hopeful that we can discontinue this service after the install to no longer use those chemicals.

The Lake is more than just a place for water run-off. It is connected to other lakes in the area to help balance the rainwater levels between all the lakes. It is also the main supply to our sprinkler system for the community buildings located around the lake area.

There are three sprinkler systems on the property. Two of them (Phase 1 and 3) have inground pumps and the Lake system (Phase 1) pulls the water from the lake with a single pump.