Lake restoration is often discussed and written about as solely the undertaking of municipal groups responsible for public bodies of water. Yet, that’s a misconception, because the processes can be just as valuable for owners of private lakes. Privately held lakes and ponds still need dredging and other major maintenance tasks, even if they’re subject to less sedimentation and runoff than public waterways. Avoiding restoration just because it’s not mandated or required by law could result in the loss of a valuable private lake that could be saved with just a few thousand dollars’ worth of investment. Compare how public and private lake restoration differs to see why both types of projects come with both benefits and disadvantages.
Big Budgets vs Limited Ones
The biggest difference between private and public lake projects is usually the budget. Homeowners and landowners simply don’t have the funding available that municipal offices, watershed protection agencies, and even private charities can tap. This means that most private lake restoration projects are small and limited in scale compared to public projects. Yet, they’re not necessarily any less important, especially if a lake is on the brink of becoming completely anaerobic or filled in with sediment. Minor lake restoration projects, done with tiny budgets, can still make a big impact; especially for water features that smaller in scale.
Public Approval vs Permits
Even lake restoration on completely private properties will likely require permits and approval from local agencies. These steps ensure that the sediment removal or water level changes won’t affect the nearby environment. However, private lake projects rarely require as many layers of approval and permitting as any public project. Restoration on any public waterway will include oversight from every layer, starting at the federal level and extending down through state and local agencies. Public lake restoration also generally needs the approval and support of the public living around the waterway, since it will affect them and may be funded by their taxes or donations. In contrast, it can be much easier to get buy-in from everyone involved on a limited scope, private lake restoration project.
Flexibility in Design and Approach
Private lakes are much less limited in their design and appearance, making it easier to adapt specific restoration methods to climate and budget limitations. Public lakes, that connect to other important waterways, are likely to be restricted by many federal and state regulations on their design and how much disturbance is allowed during restoration. This can make it hard to achieve the desired goals or gather public support, especially if the controls prevent certain uses of the completed lake.
Consequences of Avoiding or Delaying Restoration
Private lakes are usually located and built to limit their connections to public waterways as well as their potential impact on nearby structures. This means that if they become ruined due to the avoidance of timely restoration, it’s less likely to cause serious issues than a public lake. Large scale public lakes used for power generation or storm water retention in particular must be maintained as necessary with large-scale restoration. Delaying restoration of a lake holding billions of gallons of water, or located near occupied areas, definitely has a greater set of consequences than for a small farm lake far from anyone’s home.
Risks of Sedimentation
Finally, private lakes only lose their recreational and fish-supporting value as they become filled with sediment. If it eventually fills in entirely, it’s likely to lead to isolated flooding incidents that are limited to the property where it’s located. Public lakes can serve as storm water retention basins for hundreds of surrounding acres, greatly increasing the risk of sedimentation over time. Every extra foot of silt allowed to accumulate on the bottom of a lake reduces its total volume by thousands to millions of gallons. Don’t lose valuable water storage space to sediment when removal is available for small and large lakes alike.
Don’t underestimate the importance of private lake restoration. Both public and private lakes deserve the major improvements that can be achieved with restoration techniques. Make the most of your lake restoration budget by choosing durable and affordable BTL Liners products.
