Water loss is something that you’ll encounter when operating algae ponds—mostly through evaporation. When you’re running an open pond system using a flexible liner, such as the liners available from BTL Liners, leaks will be few and far between. This means that most of the water you will lose will be through evaporation to the open air, and that’s a problem that is exacerbated by the fact that most algae ponds are very shallow. Typically, the shallower the pond, the higher the evaporation rate. Add in the fact that algae need daily exposure to sunlight, and you can see where evaporation becomes a factor you’ll need to consider—especially since algae can experience rapid die-offs if a pond dries out too much.
When you design your pond, be sure to include plans for raceways that refill the ponds as often as needed—even daily if the anticipated evaporation rate will require it. Most importantly, be sure to get an idea of what your evaporation rates are likely to be so that you’ll be prepared with the means to ensure your ponds are properly filled at all times.
