UNIVERSITY PARK — A new grant will enable Penn State Extension to help earthen-pond owners understand and manage aquatic plant and algae problems and to provide them with free water testing.

Pond owners can register for a webinar, titled “Addressing Nuisance Aquatic Plant and Algae Problems Through Pond Water Quality Testing,” which will be offered three times — at 7 p.m. Aug. 13, at 2 p.m. Sept. 15 and at 7 p.m. Oct. 13. The sessions will cover the same content, and each is open to as many as 75 landowners with earthen ponds or lakes larger than 0.25 acres.

“More than half of the pond and lake owners surveyed by Penn State Extension have reported nuisance levels of aquatic plants and algae,” said Bryan Swistock, senior water resources extension associate.

“Data on aquatic herbicide use in Pennsylvania suggests that various forms of planktonic and filamentous algae are the predominant problems. These problems can become more serious if algae capable of producing dangerous toxins take over the pond.”

Swistock said the one-hour webinar will include education on pond measurements, nuisance aquatic plants and algae, harmful algae blooms, relationships between water quality and plant and algae growth, and best management practices to improve water quality and reduce nuisance plant and algae growth.

Participants will learn how to collect a water sample from their pond or lake and submit it to the Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory. The lab will analyze each sample for pH, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, nitrate, phosphate, hardness, iron, manganese, aluminum and sulfate.

After pond owners receive water test results, Penn State Extension will offer a series of follow-up webinars, during which extension educators will help participants interpret their water test reports and provide recommendations for resolving excessive nutrients or other water quality problems in their pond or lake.

“More than 80 toxins produced by these bacteria can cause noxious odors, kill aquatic life and cause serious illnesses in humans and animals,” Swistock said. “These factors affect pond water for fishing, swimming, irrigation or animal consumption and could severely degrade the aesthetic appearance of a pond.”

The Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center and the U.S. Geological Survey provided a grant for the webinars and water testing.

The webinars and pond testing are free, but preregistration is required and is limited to 75 households per webinar. To register, visit https://extension.psu.edu/addressing-nuisance-aquatic-plant-and-algae-problems-through-pond-water-quality-testing or call 877-345-0691.