Officials are hoping that carp rather than chemicals could solve problems at a pond in The Villages.
Villagers living on the pond on Palo Alto Avenue near the Tierra Del Sol Recreation Center contend the pond has become overwhelmed by algae, hydrilla and odor.
The took their concerns to the Community Development District 1 Board of Supervisors on Friday morning at Savannah Center.
“We bought our lot because we loved the water view,” said William Thuemmel, who purchased his home in 2001.
He said he and his wife have had the thrill of watching a Florida Panther catch a duck at the pond.
However, the wildlife has disappeared because of the poor condition of the pond.
Apparently, the company that took over treatment of the ponds in The Villages, Crosscreek Environmental Inc., has been trying to treat the pond with chemicals. Residents say the chemicals are not working.
Crosscreek was hired for pond maintenance when officials objected to the price increase from the previous contractor, Solitude Lake Management LLC.
“The lake has been maintained well in the past. But not this year,” said Bernie O’Donnell.
Assistant District Manager Bruce Brown said that the amount of chemicals that can be used in a retention basin is limited and Crosscreek has reached that limit.
Therefore, there are two other options – introducing carp into the pond to each the hydrilla or to use mechanical raking to remove the unwanted vegetation growing in the pond.
Carp would be the far cheaper option, Brown said. Mechanical raking would be very expensive.
“Carp are an effective option. They eat hydrilla,” Brown said.
Supervisor Judy Biebesheimer said the board needed to take action.
“This lake has been like this for almost an entire year,” she said. “The neighbors are running out of patience.”
The board agreed to move ahead with the carp and take another look at the condition of the pond during next month’s CDD 1 meeting.
John West has lived for 21 years on the pond and warned that the carp might not solve the problem.
“Behind my house, it looks like a swamp. The carp can take care of the hydrilla, but you’re going to have to scoop the stuff off the top. They won’t eat the dead weeds. The chemicals may kill it, but it won’t get rid of the ‘swamp’ look,” West said.