Lake Arrowhead Club, Inc (LAC)-Lakes
LAKE ARROWHEAD Lakes
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Fall Leaves & Lake Health
What you do with your yard waste matters more than you might think. Blowing leaves into our lakes or letting them sit along the shoreline has serious consequences for water quality, aquatic life, and our local ecosystem.
The Problem with Leaves in Lakes
Although leaves are natural, their accumulation is a pollutant to our lakes.
Nutrient Overload: When leaves decompose in water, they release nitrogen and phosphorus. This nutrient load fuels toxic algae blooms, which create slimy and smelly mats, decrease oxygen levels, and increase maintenance costs.
Sediment Buildup: Leaf litter breaks down into muck that settles at the bottom of the lakes, feeding toxic algae blooms.
Altered Ecosystems: Heavy organic matter disrupts natural shoreline vegetation and aquatic insect life, which are crucial to native fish and bird species.
Remove Leaves from the Lake
● There are multiple tools that can be used for shoreline cleanup. The Rakezilla is very effective and lightweight. Its floating design keeps it at the water’s surface, allowing you to skim and pull leaf mats and plant material with ease. Built specifically for lake use, it extends your reach from docks and shorelines—no wading required. These tools can be borrowed from the clubhouse or can be purchased. We also suggest a quality net - please see links.
https://weedersdigest.com/rake-zilla-heavy-duty-aquatic-weed-rake-with-long-tines-for-lake-pond/
● By removing organic debris while it’s still floating, you stop muck before it sinks. This proactive step reduces long-term sediment buildup and helps avoid costly, labor-intensive dredging down the line.
Leaf Disposal
Eco-friendly ways to handle leaves include:
● Composting
● Curbside pickup
● Mulching leaves (away from the water’s edge) when they first fall*. If you wait, beneficial insects will be nesting in these leaves and be destroyed by mulching.