Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Is it safe to swim in your pond/lake?

One day, when I buy some acreage and have a pond/lake I'd like to swim in it but I was wondering whether that's safe here in the deep south? I live on the northeast coast of Florida. I've heard that warm water like 80+ degrees can have dangerous things like amoebas and flesh eating bacteria. I know it's rare though... and maybe there's ways to test your water for those things or prevent them somehow? I know stagnant water especially is bad.

I do have a pretty big retention pond in my yard but it wouldn't be safe to swim in (run off from roads etc) although I have done in the past before I knew about the dangers.

If you had any concerns about it, I'd have the water tested and then your concerns will be either verified or dismissed.

The flesh eating bacteria has been overhyped by the media. Yes it's bad if you get it but it's confined to hospitals that have the pathogen (hospitals are filthy with pathogens) and even then mostly people with compromised immune systems are the only ones at risk. Makes a better story if the media leaves that out.

The same genus species aeromonis hydrophilia effects fish and is ubiquitous to bodies of water. Again only a problem with stressed fish with compromised immune systems.

The only thing I'd be concerned about in the deep south with high water temps are the lethal species of algae. That and possibly duck itch. However it's presence or problem is not a sure thing.

Bill Cody is our resident expert on algae and hopefully he will chime in.

My initial response is that I would be more afraid of alligators/crocs....

I'd be wary of poisonous snakes and gators seeing as you are in Florida.

I'm very glad to hear that it's not that big of a problem! I think it's so fun to be able to swim in your own lake! I'm guessing the bigger the lake, the less problems you'll have with things like that. I'm hoping for at least a 2 acre lake.

Hmm, that is a good point about gators and snakes...do other southern members here swim in theirs/have any gator and snake problems? I think I've seen some members from Georgia and Alabama on here. I guess good fencing is the only sure way...

I'm in south Mississippi about 40 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. No gators but we do get turtles and occasional snakes. Had a smaller rattler on the shorline last year and he lost his head. Other water snakes appears when the vegetation along the shoreline gets long and stay a week or two until either 1) I show up with the shotgun or 2) I cut the vegetation.

We swim in our pond regularly during the spring/summer months and never an issue.

Mine has too many snakes and turtles for me. As a kid, I lived in the gravel pits during the summer and never worried about the critters. Now I don't move fast enough to outrun them! The grandkids swim in it all the time though with no problems. My water stays pretty muddy though.