Irrigation with lake water (fertilizer, natural, pumps, climate)

[Magnolia Bloom]

Does anyone have any experience using lake water for irrigation? Our neighborhood is on a large, spring-fed lake.

I have been given two opposing opinions by people in the know. Was wondering if anyone has done it and if it reduces the amount of fertilizer needed, irrigation costs, etc.

[agreatlife]

A couple of folks on our little lake use it for irrigation, and it annoys us endlessly, the lake level is low right now because of lack of rain, and these bozos merrily water away. I swear I can see the level getting lower everytime their system turns on. I don't think they should do that.

I really don't care about fertilizing and all that, but I do care about the level of the lake. I know your lake is much bigger, but imagine if all the lakefront residents used it.

[shadowfax1997]

Many people in my area have camps on lakes. They drink the water from the lake. I don't see why it wouldn't work fine for irrigation. As for fertilizers - no idea.

[sean98125]

If you live that close to a lake, you shouldn't be using a lot of chemical fertilizers.

However, you probably don't need to use fertilizers if you use lake water because the water will contain the run off of all the fertilizers that your neighbors have put on their lawns.

[Poltracker]

Make sure there are no rules or permits required to do what you are proposing. Many communities have restrictions on this.

[cancan]

if ya pump from a lake, depending one what devices your irrigating with you should use a sand filter. or at least a very fine screen or disc filter.

As far as fertilizer I agree that you should be carefull along bodies of water. One person being irresponsible can foul a lake. living along the water in runoff areas you should look into time release fertilizers that dont leach away with the first rain...they are more expensive but will be there thruout the year, this makes them really more cost effective and physiclly effective than regular fertilizer like 10-10-10. Folk along the water should feel more responsibility about what runs off thier properties.

Just for your info and to speak to the validity of my info...I own and operate a tree and plant nursery/Landscape outfit.

[Magnolia Bloom]

Thank you for the replies. We have about 1/3 of the lakefront, haring the lake with two other HOAs. We don't fertilize near the lake, but from looking at the lawns on the other side, I would say that they do, as their grass is full green all the way to the water's edge. And I am sure that some of our homeowners apply therir own fertilizer. We also don't have a lot of natural grasses in the lake, which one of the other HOAs likes.

I'm sure that the pumps required would be an investment and was thinking of using it to supplement our city water to reduce the amount of fertilizer we would need. Our lake hasn't seen any decrease in water, I think because of the spring, but I'm sure in a heavy drought, that we would see the water table fall.

[GregW]

Be certain you have a legal right to use the water in a consumptive fashion.

[sunsprit]

Best way to determine fertilizer requirement is to take some soil samples to your local county extension office. They'll test the soil for nutrient levels, or send it out to a lab for those tests.

Then you can decide what to amend your soil with for the vegetation (or lawn) and trees that are there.

Many folks are entirely too wasteful with fertilizer, having bought into the marketing of the chemical companies. They put down the wrong items, or too much of certain items, or not enough (if any) of stuff that's truly needed.

Even the big "lawn" service franchise companies use a "one size fits all" fertilizer system which is generally inappropriate for most applications. We get a laugh out of it around here (although it's actually pretty pathetic), because the national franchise(s) apply stuff that is killing the trees and lawns in our area ... because it's the wrong stuff/strength for our soils, climate, and vegetation. Most of the folks in our area with locally owned/operated yard care services are as ignorant, too. They put down all kinds of weed/fungal controls which are for controlling problems which do not exist in our climate/soils. And the "big box" stores run seasonal sales on nationally marketed lawn care products which don't address the issues with the soils in our area. You might as well just burn dollar bills in the fireplace for all the good you're doing for your yard ... although you may feel good about your efforts.

You can also take water samples from your lake source and have them analyzed for nutrients/contaminants. Again, a local lab or your county extension office can be of service for this testing. And you might just want to test your drinking water, too ....