The primary purpose of aeration in pond and lake management is to increase the oxygen levels in the water. There are different methods for doing this, including injecting air, mechanically mixing or agitating the water, or even injecting pure oxygen.
Destratification is a type of circulation that thoroughly mixes the water layers of different temperatures in the lake.
Here are the most common systems for lake aeration.
Air Injection (Diffuser Systems) – The most common method, air injection systems, consist of a compressor on shore delivering air through lines to the bottom of the lake. The rising air bubbles cause colder water to rise and mix with the warmer water.
Mechanical Flow Pumps – A floatation platform and frame support an electric motor and a large propeller. The propeller pushes the water from the surface downward, setting up a circulation pattern.
Surface Spray Units – This lake aeration system consists of a float with an electric motor-driven impeller. The turning impeller pulls water up a long vertical tube and sprays it above the water’s surface in a fountain effect.
Impeller-Aspirator Systems – These consist of a float that supports an electric motor-driven impeller at the bottom of a hollow shaft that extends down toward the deeper water at an angle. The impeller propels the water into the air.
Pump-and-Cascade Systems – This lake aeration system is a large pump that moves lake water to the top of a ramp chute. The water cascades down the ramp and falls back into the lake.