Ponds Looking Horrible! What has happened?
 

Many of the ponds have excessive algae and invasive plant growth taking over the waterways. This is the worst I've ever seen The Villages ponds look. I've heard a new vendor came in because they were cheaper. Is this now the new norm...to have substandard waterbodies? I guess you get what you don't pay for!!!

Beware the old 'I've heard' info. If you want something more reliable, you can attend the next meeting of your CDD board and asking there.

Don't look any different to me, other than fuller after Debby.

I heard it rained a lot stirring things up.

Yes they look nasty. The villages does not guarantee the water when they offer the waterfront/view lots at premium price. Welcome to the Villages!

Maybe that's because "the developer" does not control the weather??????

They don't guarantee the ponds to hold water but most of them do. They do however maintain the ponds and if you call them regarding plant growth they will take care of it. Our pond is really nice and has been for the last couple years not having any algae or plant problems. Well worth the premium price to enjoy the view, nature, wildlife, and peacefulness of the environment. Much better than on a golf course which we were glad to move away from after 13 years of having no privacy.

Bonita pond looks fine just very full

What they -could- do, is impose a "Seasonal Fishing Only" rule, and enforce it, and introduce algae-eating fish to the retention ponds. Once the rainy season subsides and the ponds start returning to normal depth (or drying out, as some do), they open fishing season and tell everyone it's catch and keep, no more catch and release.

That way you don't have to introduce toxic chemicals into the water to kill the algae caused by man-made retention ponds filling up with runoff rainwater.

Pond on SweetGum beautiful
 

The pond behind our house on sweetgum is perhaps higher but beautiful as ever.

So this is a very interesting and (IMO) a huge issue.

When I met with Mitch Leninger last year regarding golf course maintenance, I casually mentioned this to him. It is NOT within Mitch's purview, but having dealt with this situation for many years at golf course, I brought it up, as there's some interaction between golf course maintenance and pond/impoundment health.

(I'm going to use the words "ponds", when talking about the various areas of TV that hold water).

Ponds need consistent movement and aeration, to remain "ponds". Without movement and aeration, the can become choked with aquatic growth and at some point, almost completely atrophy and at the worse produce excessive methane gas.

From a more simplistic viewpoint, the increase in aquatic growth, changes the value of the ponds as wildlife habitat and water impoundment areas (marshes support different flora and fauna that open water). That's not to even mention the aesthetic degradation.

The pond on the approached to the 17th green at TDS has been choked off considerably, since I started playing there, 4 years ago. Just a guess, but I'd said that area has lost at least 30% of its "open area".

The ponds at Palmer seem to have lost at least 30%-40% of their "open water". Lake Sumter seems to be closing in on becoming a "swamp". The boat trips now go out to the middle and travel around in a little circle.

I don't claim to be an expert on ponds or water impoundments, but do have a reasonable amount of experience with drainage and wetland activities. That said, I think this is going to become a huge issue for TV in the very near future. Keep in mind, this is a District issue, as they maintain the drainage appurtenances. Those pesky "maintenance fees" people have been talking about, will be at issue.

There are generally 3 things (that I know of) that adversely effect drainage impoundments: 1) increased nitrogen (fertilizers), 2) lack of aeration, 3) lack of movement (which relates to 2).

What can be done? Again, not trying to be an expert, I just know a little.

EVERY culvert, drainage swale and pipe in TV should be subject to a regular maintenance schedule, to keep them clean and free-running. That's imperative. The volume and velocity at which water runs through a pipe is calculated based on size, hydraulic head, surface type of the pipe and a few other things (Manning's Equation). Once even a small amount of debris, weeds, growth, rocks, whatever becomes stuck in a pipe, swale or ditch, the water velocity slows down. 2 things result. Potential erosion and the drainage system no longer functions as designed, because the water isn't running fast enough (not enough nor fast enough movement).

The other thing that has to be done, is we have to work harder at preventing nutrients from entering the water impoundment areas. Fertilizers, particularly.

I think TV should immediate start removing aquatic weed growth from the ponds. There are company that specialize in this and somewhere you may have seen "weed harvesting" boats, pulling weeds out of shallower ponds (the more shallow a pond is, the harder it is to keep free of aquatic weeds).

Everyone who golfs, has seen "fountains" blowing water in the middle of golf course ponds. They are NOT there for decoration. They are necessary to aerate the water and prevent stagnation.

The Villages has one of the most sophisticated drainage systems I've ever seen. It's huge, complicated, expensive ... and in my opinion, not being properly maintained. This could very well become the next big expense/maintenance boondoggle in TV.

This is an interesting and important subject. I'm thrilled someone has actually brought it up, because it's been on my agenda for discussion since last year. I even wrote a letter to send to the District about it, but didn't send it as I was more focused on golf issues. BTW, if anyone is interested in taking up this cause with the District, I'm all in and willing to help in any way i can. This is a huge and important issue.

For anyone who would like some professional information about the subject, this a good article to read. I recently posted it on X, when a discussion of irrigation ponds was raised ("CountryClubSnob [Eldricks_hoes]" was claiming that the inclusion of "fountains" at golf courses, reeked of "phony prestige", not understanding that they are indeed a necessity.)

SL482/SS695: Stormwater Pond Management: What You Need to Know about Aeration

https://lakenpondpros.com/blogs/shopping-guides/pond-aeration-system

It’s all the fertilizer that runs off from yards and golf courses, but my lawn is green.

Yes, Last September a new contractor took over the bid for pond maintenance. They bid about $20.00 less per surface acre for pond maintenance vs everyone else. If I remember correctly, there are over 700 ponds in the Villages. So $20 per acre adds up. I think it’s a million dollar bid (total) if I’m not mistaken.

The maintenance includes shoreline weed control, submersed vegetation control, cleaning up fish kills as well as picking up shoreline trash.

I would like to add that there are also good ponds….those that are in balance and don’t need much in the way of treatment for algae or submersed vegetation. Then there are the bad ponds, those that are out of balance and have a lot of excess nutrients that cause algae blooms. So if your lucky to live on a good pond, you have not seen much, if any change. If you’re on a bad pond….well you know.


I can only suggest contacting district property management. If that does not work, call someone on your CDD’s board.

I’ve call Property management about 3 times on the same pond….I've given up.

I don't see any ugly ponds.

Introducing algae eating fish is akin to feeding the alligators and they would thank you for that. Just call and let them know there is excessive algae and they will take care of it. Problem solved.

I have noticed a tremendous difference in the large lake at Lake Sumter Landing, especially on the east side of the Morse Blvd. bridge. The plant vegetation is taking over and only half of the water is visible now. I've been noticing this for the past couple of years and it really is getting out of hand.

I would eat fish out of villages retention ponds. But, that’s me. They exclusively have catch and release policies.

Been that since I moved here, water not that deep which encourages water Lilly’s and water plants to flourish.

Which ones are you talking about. Everything south looks great.

Ponds South of RT 44 Have Aerators
 

I believe that most if not all ponds South of RT 44 have aerators and you can see the surface bubbling. Aerators keep the water oxygen levels higher and encourage natural digestion of the accumulating sludge that forms as algae die/are killed off by chemicals. There are also chemical treatments that work with aerators to further reduce the accumulated sludge and improve water quality and appearance
The ponds are newer and have lesser amounts of accumulated sludges.

Adding aeration to the N of 44 ponds would be very expensive.

But again, which ones look horrible? None of the ponds that I've passed near my neighborhood north of 44 look bad. In the past the complaints have been about the ponds have mentioned those south of 44 - the newer ponds with the aerator and lesser amounts of accumulated sludges. I haven't noticed that anyone mentioned which ponds look bad this time around.

Wouldn’t that be natural progression?

Like many posts like this it's, "I saw a bad one, so they all must be bad."

You get EXACTLY what you paid for. Nowhere in your closing documents does it state the developer will maintain those ponds to any certain standard.

Read your documents carefully.

The Developer doesn't have the responsibility, the District's do.

In most cases, they are part of The Villages' drainage system and need to be maintained, per the state permits.

Don't let facts interfere with posting.

Perhaps read all the posts in the thread and you'll find some of the specifics you must have missed the first time you read them all..

Just reread all but the TLDR; post. A couple posts mention ponds in certain areas look great, one says ponds south of 44 look good, mine says ponds in my area look good, but not one post mentions a pond with excessive algae.

(For whatever reason, I can't see the picture you posted)

Okay, just R the TLDR post: Isn't clear to me if the ponds were mentioned due to excessive algae, invasive plant growth, or some drainage concern.

The pond heading west on 466A after Morse Blvd looked awful last winter . Hope they cleaned it.

Excessive algae and invasive plant growth IS a drainage concern.

That's why I suggested algae-eaters. They're bottom-feeder fish such as catfish, siamese algae eaters, and carp (koi/giant golfdish) that eat algae as the mainstay of their diets.

The "problem" of alligators enjoying those fish for their own meals isn't a problem at all. The reason the algae grows is due to lack of movement and aeration in the ponds. Introduce fish that eat the algae, the alligators will move around the ponds to eat the fish, and nature ends up doing what it does best. No pesticides, fungicides, chemicals of any kind necessary.

The only thing you'd need to do, is impose a "no fishing" order during the rainy season, so that the fish and alligators can do their jobs without interference.

And then, impose a "catch and keep" season immediately after the rainy season to help cull the fish and let the alligators know that their all you can eat buffet meal is over.

Argh, correct! I meant districts, apologies.

I must have missed the section that said the district has to keep the ponds Algae free and free of natural vegetation. Can you post that for us?

I’ll wait here.

No need to wait very long.

The District doesn't necessarily have to keep the ponds "Algae Free", they have to maintain them pursuant to their permits and rules promulgated by SFWMD, the State of Florida and subject to the US Clean Water Act.

Under SFWMD, they don't have to be "free from native vegetation", but non-native invasive species taking over, would likely be a violation of their permit.

Folks that don't understand how drainage works, are sometimes confused about "natural impoundments". A 6th grader would understand that a "broken pipe" has to be fixed, natural impoundments are no different. They have to be maintained in a way that their original design intent is maintained and in a way that doesn't significantly change the design habitat for flora and fauna. In simple terms, you can't build a "lake" and then allow it to become a "marsh". In most cases, that would be a violation of a permit. Wildlife habitat values, usually have to be maintained.

You can find the regulations here:

Summary of the Clean Water Act | US EPA

Drainage Design Guide

Watershed Management Program | WaterMatters.org

So they don’t have to keep them free of the things that people are complaining about; thanks!

That water is used for irrigation (south areas). By installing that system, it clearly implies that the water is suitable for that purpose. Now and in the future. That system was sold with the houses.

Allowing algae and other gunk to grow, plugs the irrigation systems.
Would they prefer to do proper maintenance now, or pay for irrigation repairs?

What's growing or not growing in detention/retention basins, is generally unrelated to the TV irrigation systems.

When that water is pumped out for irrigation use, and all that gunk plugs up sprinkler heads, I would say it is a direct cause and effect situation.
Water itself should be clean enough to be used for its intended purpose.

When the water that is pumped out for irrigation use has all that gunk and begins to plug up sprinkler heads then one might point to a cause and effect situation. However, I have seen no reports of sprinkler heads plugged from gunk in irrigation water.

Apparently, the water itself is clean enough to be used for its intended purpose.

So you're thinking they just put big, giant hoses into the detention basins and pump that water directly into your sprinkler heads?

You might want to familiarize yourself how an irrigation system functions, particularly those in TV.

Reporting in..... Many households in the southern areas are installing filters in their irrigation lines to filter out the junk from the ponds. During dry times the heads will plug up every few weeks for those that don't have the prefilter, when it's been raining it's not nearly as bad.