June 16 webinar to focus on role of bacteria in pond management and health
AgriLife Extension program to explore bacteria types found in ponds and their functions
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will present a webinar, “The Tiniest Pond Managers: Natural Bacteria and Bacterial-Derived Products,” on June 16 from 6-7:30 p.m. The event is a part of the agency’s AquaExtension Series.
The cost is $35, and registration is required at tx.ag/PondBacteria. Following registration, an email will be sent with instructions to access the webinar. All registrants will receive a link to the recorded webinar, available for one month, even if they cannot attend live.
The event’s speaker is Todd Sink, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension aquaculture specialist, director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Aquatic Diagnostics Laboratory and professor in the Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Bryan-College Station.
About the webinar
The webinar will explore different types of bacteria found in ponds, as well as the functions they serve.
“Bacteria can be your best friend and the best managers your pond has ever seen,” Sink said. “They work continuously, and they do much of the work you don’t want to do.”
The webinar will also cover the various types of bacterial, bacteria-derived and bacterial support products on the market for pond management.
Sink will discuss how bacterial products can:
- Reduce ammonia to protect fish.
- Cycle phosphorus and nitrogen to limit aquatic vegetation.
- Manage algal blooms.
- Break down decaying plants following herbicide treatments.
- Digest sludge to deepen a pond.
“Bacteria can achieve many goals at a fraction of the cost of equivalent management strategies such as filters, herbicides, dredging, aeration and more,” Sink said.
A 30-minute Q&A session will conclude the webinar.
Webinar package available for 2026
This webinar is supported by Natural Waterscapes, a water resource management firm providing science-based pond and lake management solutions, and is part of a 10-month expert series that provides pond owners and managers with up-to-date, scientific information related to maintaining pond health and productivity.
A 2026 Aquatic Webinar Series Bundle is available for $280 for individuals who would like to register for all webinars throughout the year. The bundle also includes recordings of the previous 2026 webinars. Purchase the webinar bundle at tx.ag/WebinarBundle26.
For more information, contact Brittany Chesser, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension aquatic vegetation program specialist and lead diagnostic scientist at the Aquatic Diagnostics Laboratory, at [email protected].
