Drought is again becoming a serious issue across much of the United States.

Farmers are dealing with reduced water availability and difficult growing conditions. Reservoir levels across parts of the West remain low. Mines and industrial facilities operating in water-constrained areas are paying increasingly close attention to where their water comes from and how much they use.

As of August 2026, drought conditions extend across a significant portion of the country. In the West, Lake Mead and Lake Powell remain at historically low levels. Agriculture is feeling the effects as well, with drought contributing to poor crop conditions and reduced production in several important growing regions.

There is no simple answer to a problem this large. More efficient irrigation, water reuse, groundwater management, conservation, recycling, and new infrastructure will all be needed.

But there is one source of water loss that is sometimes overlooked. The water already sitting in storage is evaporating.

For a mine, farm, industrial facility, municipality, or other operation that relies on stored water, that loss can be surprisingly large. A floating evaporation cover like EnviroBalls™ is one of the more practical ways to address it.

Water in Storage Has Already Cost Something

It’s easy to look at a pond or reservoir and think of the water as simply being there.

A farmer may have pumped that water from a well or diverted it during a limited period when water was available. A mine may have captured, treated, pumped, recycled, or purchased its water. An industrial facility may have significant treatment and energy costs invested in the water stored on site.

In each case, that water has value before it ever reaches the pond.

Once stored in an open reservoir, it’s exposed to sun, wind, heat, and dry air. In many western climates, several feet of water can be lost from an exposed surface over the course of a year.

That turns into a very large volume of water:

• 1 acre-foot is approximately 326,000 gallons
• A 1-acre pond losing 6 feet a year loses nearly 2 million gallons
• A 10-acre pond at the same rate loses nearly 20 million gallons
• A 50-acre pond loses nearly 100 million gallons

Those numbers get attention quickly when the water has to be pumped out of the ground, purchased, treated, or replaced.

Mine Water Evaporation: A Growing Cost in Nevada, Arizona, and Other Arid Mining Regions

Water management has always mattered to mining, particularly in arid parts of the United States, including Nevada, Arizona, and other Southwestern states, as well as South America, Australia, and other major mining regions. It’s becoming even more important.

Mines can have substantial volumes of water stored in process-water ponds, reclaim ponds, freshwater reservoirs, lined storage ponds, and other engineered basins. Many of these facilities sit in areas with high solar radiation, low humidity, wind, and limited rainfall. Those are exactly the conditions that drive significant evaporation.

Mining companies have already made considerable progress recycling and reusing process water, which makes sense. Water that’s difficult or expensive to obtain should be used as efficiently as practical. Evaporation deserves the same scrutiny.

If a mine pumps groundwater into a storage reservoir and then loses a portion of it to the atmosphere, additional water has to be pumped to replace that loss. That means more pumping, more energy, and more demand on the source. Where water rights or permitted withdrawals are limited, the value of preserving that water is even greater.

The question for a mine isn’t simply what a gallon of water costs. It’s what that gallon costs to replace.

Irrigation Pond Evaporation: A Problem for Farmers in Drought-Prone Regions

The economics are different for agriculture, but the basic problem is the same.

Irrigation ponds and reservoirs let farmers store water when it’s available and use it when crops need it. During drought, whether in California’s Central Valley, the Texas Panhandle, or other water-stressed growing regions, that stored supply becomes especially valuable.

Unfortunately, the hot, dry conditions that increase irrigation demand also increase evaporation. A farmer may be losing stored irrigation water at the exact moment crops need it most.

For smaller agricultural reservoirs, losses add up quickly. A 5-acre irrigation pond losing 5 feet of water annually loses roughly 8 million gallons to evaporation.

Not every gallon of that loss can practically be eliminated. But preserving even a portion of it could mean less groundwater pumping, more water available late in the growing season, or a larger reserve when drought conditions persist. In areas where wells are declining or allocations are tightening, that matters.

Ready to see what your reservoir is losing? [Request a free evaporation estimate]

The Same Economics Apply to Industry

Mining and agriculture are the obvious examples, but they aren’t the only industries storing valuable water.

Manufacturing facilities, power plants, wastewater facilities, food processors, data centers, utilities, chemical plants, refineries, and other industrial operations may maintain open ponds or reservoirs for process water, recycled water, cooling water, treated water, stormwater, or emergency storage.

The first question should always be what this water is worth to the operation.

If water is plentiful and inexpensive to replace, evaporation reduction may not be a priority. If the facility is pumping groundwater, purchasing water, treating it before storage, operating under withdrawal limits, or struggling with availability, the calculation looks very different.

This is why evaporation control shouldn’t be evaluated purely as an environmental measure. In many applications, it’s an operating-cost and water-security issue.

Can Floating Water Covers Reduce Evaporation?

One way to reduce evaporation is to reduce the amount of water surface directly exposed to the atmosphere.

Floating covers do this by creating a physical barrier across the water surface. Modular systems using floating spheres, such as EnviroBalls™, can adapt to changing water levels without the structural support a conventional roof or fixed cover would require.

The concept is simple. Reduce exposed water surface, and you reduce the interaction between water, solar radiation, wind, and dry air that drives evaporation.

Independent field studies of floating sphere systems have reported meaningful evaporation reductions, though actual performance varies with climate, coverage, wind, pond geometry, and operating conditions. Because of that variability, we don’t assume the same reduction for every site. The first step is always estimating how much water a given pond is actually losing.

Start With the Water Balance

Before considering a cover, an operator should know approximately how much water is being lost and what that water is worth.

For a preliminary analysis, we typically start with a few basic inputs:

• Location
• Surface area
• Local climate
• Source of water
• Difficulty or cost of replacing that water

From there, annual evaporation can be estimated and converted into gallons lost per year. That figure is then compared against the expected reduction from a floating cover and the cost of installing the system. For some ponds, the economics won’t work. For others, particularly in dry climates where water is pumped, treated, purchased, or limited, the volume of water at stake can justify a much closer look.

Where Floating Covers Make the Most Sense

The strongest potential is in engineered ponds and reservoirs where water has a measurable operational value, including:

• Mine process-water and freshwater ponds
• Agricultural irrigation reservoirs
• Industrial water-storage ponds
• Municipal storage basins
• Recycled-water reservoirs
• Treated wastewater storage
• Power-generation facility reservoirs

Large natural lakes are a very different problem. Covering Lake Mead or Lake Powell isn’t what we’re suggesting. But there are thousands of smaller engineered reservoirs where covering the water surface is practical enough to evaluate, and collectively those smaller ponds represent a significant amount of stored water.

Drought Changes the Value of the Water You Already Have

The important issue isn’t simply whether drought gets better or worse next year. Water demand is growing in many parts of the country while groundwater, surface-water allocations, infrastructure, and competing users constrain available supply.

Mining offers a good example. New critical-mineral projects are being proposed in some of the driest parts of the United States, and water availability is increasingly part of that development conversation.

Agriculture has dealt with this problem for far longer. When water becomes scarce, farmers face difficult decisions about acreage, irrigation, crops, and pumping.

Industry faces its own version of the same problem. In all three cases, conservation usually starts with reducing how much water is used. It should also include looking at how much stored water is being lost.

Sometimes the Best New Water Supply Is Water You Don’t Lose

Evaporation control won’t solve drought. It won’t refill the Colorado River, replace groundwater management, or eliminate the need for more efficient water use.

But that doesn’t make the losses unimportant.

• If a mine preserves millions of gallons of process or freshwater annually, that water doesn’t have to be replaced.
• If a farmer retains more irrigation water through the hottest part of the growing season, that water stays available for crops.
• If an industrial facility reduces losses from a storage reservoir, it may reduce how much water has to be purchased, pumped, or treated.

There’s real value in each of those outcomes. We spend a great deal of money finding, pumping, transporting, treating, and storing water. It makes sense to look at what happens to it once it reaches the pond. Get started with GES today.

Common Questions About Evaporation and Industrial Water Storage

How much water can an open pond lose to evaporation? It depends on location, temperature, solar radiation, humidity, wind, elevation, and other conditions. In dry climates, annual evaporation can amount to several feet of water depth. Every foot of evaporation represents approximately 326,000 gallons per acre of water surface. Six feet of evaporation can mean nearly 2,000,000 gallons of water lost per year across one acre of stored water.

How much water could a mine lose from a process-water pond? The answer depends primarily on pond area and local evaporation conditions. For example, a 20-acre pond experiencing six feet of annual evaporation would have a gross evaporation loss of approximately 40 million gallons per year.

Can floating covers be used on mine water ponds? Yes. Floating covers can be evaluated for process-water ponds, freshwater storage, reclaim-water ponds, and other engineered mining reservoirs. Water chemistry, operating conditions, wind, pond geometry, equipment access, and other site-specific factors need to be considered.

Can evaporation covers reduce irrigation water losses? Yes. Agricultural reservoirs can lose significant volumes of stored irrigation water to evaporation, particularly in hot, dry climates. The economics depend on the evaporation rate, pond size, value of the stored water, and cost of the cover.

Does reducing evaporation also reduce pumping costs? It can. When evaporated water must be replaced with pumped groundwater or another pumped supply, preserving stored water can reduce the volume that needs to be replaced, along with the associated pumping requirement.

What industries could benefit from floating water covers? Potential applications include mining, agriculture, municipal water, wastewater, power generation, manufacturing, food processing, chemical processing, refineries, and other operations with open water-storage ponds or reservoirs.

How do I know whether an evaporation cover makes economic sense? Start by estimating annual evaporation in gallons and determining the cost or operational value of replacing that water. Compare those losses against the expected performance, installed cost, and useful life of a floating cover.

How Much Water Is Your Pond Losing?

Global Environmental Solutions can perform a preliminary evaporation assessment for a mine, farm, industrial facility, municipality, or other operation with an open water-storage pond. Contact GES today.

We start with the location and approximate surface area of the pond and estimate the potential annual evaporation loss. For sites that warrant additional analysis, we can then evaluate the potential water savings associated with a floating cover such as EnviroBalls™.

If your operation is pumping, purchasing, treating, or competing for water that ultimately sits in an open pond, it’s worth knowing how much of that water may be disappearing into the atmosphere each year.

Request Your Free Evaporation Estimate Send GES the location and approximate dimensions of your pond, and we’ll start the water-loss calculation.

Prepared by
Global Environmental Solutions (GES)

Summary

Reservoir evaporation represents one of the largest continuous losses of stored freshwater across the United States. Collectively, the five reservoirs summarized in this report lose an estimated 460-610 billion gallons of water each year through evaporation along. As municipalities, agriculture, mining operations, power generation, and industry face increasing pressure on limited water resources, protecting stored water has become an increasingly important complement to conservation, infrastructure modernization, and water reuse.

This article is intended to provide a comparison of evaporation losses among well-studied reservoirs. The report is intended to support engineering discussions, strategic planning, and preliminary project evaluation. It is not intended for regulatory water accounting or legal water rights administration.

Introduction

Water scarcity continues to challenge municipalities, agriculture, mining, industrial operations, power generation, and environmental restoration throughout western North America. While infrastructure modernization, conservation programs, desalination, groundwater development, and water reuse remain essential components of long-term water security, evaporation from reservoirs and storage ponds represents a significant and frequently underappreciated source of water loss.

Unlike water demand, evaporation occurs continuously whenever atmospheric conditions favor vapor transfer from the water surface. High solar radiation, elevated temperatures, low relative humidity, persistent winds, and large exposed surface areas combine to produce substantial annual water losses across many western reservoirs.

Engineering solutions that reduce solar loading and wind-driven evaporation may complement existing conservation strategies while simultaneously improving water quality, reducing algae growth, minimizing wildlife interactions, and lowering long-term maintenance requirements.

This report summarizes published measurements and engineering estimates for fourteen strategically important North American reservoirs and presents a comparative assessment of representative annual evaporation losses.

Key Findings

•  The five reservoirs summarized lose an estimated 460 – 610 billion gallons of water annually through evaporation.
• Lake Mead and Lake Mohave provide the highest-quality publicly available evaporation measurements because they are based on direct U.S. Geological Survey field observations.
• Reservoir evaporation varies considerably depending on climate, elevation, wind exposure, and reservoir geometry; therefore, site-specific evaluations are recommended when assessing water losses.

Reservoir Evaporation by the Numbers

Table 1. Representative Annual Reservoir Evaporation Estimates

Reservoir	Approx. Surface Area (sq mi)	Annual Evaporation (ft/year)	Approx. Annual Water Loss (Billion gal/yr)	Primary Data Source
Lake Mead	247	6.22	212–277	U.S. Geological Survey (Energy Balance & Eddy Covariance)
Lake Mohave	44	5.64	49–52	U.S. Geological Survey (Energy Balance & Eddy Covariance)
Lake Powell	254	~4.5–6.0	147–196	U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Water Accounting
Lake Havasu	31	~6.0–6.7	37–42	Lower Colorado River Accounting / Bureau of Reclamation
Elephant Butte Reservoir	57	~5.5–6.5	16–46	Bureau of Reclamation Hydrologic Studies

Although these reservoirs differ substantially in size and climate, they collectively demonstrate that evaporation represents a significant component of long-term water management. Even relatively modest reductions in evaporative losses can preserve billions of gallons of stored water over the life of a reservoir.

Free Preliminary Reservoir Evaporation Assessment

Every water body is unique. Climate, elevation, reservoir geometry, operating water level, wind exposure, solar radiation, and water temperature all influence annual evaporation losses.

GES provides free reservoir evaporation assessments for water storage assets for municipalities, engineering firms, mining companies, agricultural operators, industrial facilities, and water utilities.

A preliminary assessment typically includes:

• Estimated annual evaporation loss
• Estimated annual water volume lost
• Climate-based evaporation profile
• Preliminary evaporation reduction potential
• Initial evaluation of floating reservoir cover technologies
• Discussion of potential water quality and operational benefits

These screening assessments are intended to support early-stage engineering discussions and determine whether a more detailed reservoir-specific evaluation is warranted.

To request a complimentary assessment, simply provide the reservoir location, approximate dimensions, and available operating information to the GES team here.

Disclaimer

The estimates presented herein are based on published measurements, publicly available operational records, and engineering estimates developed by Global Environmental Solutions. They are not intended for regulatory reporting, interstate water accounting, water rights administration, permitting, or final engineering design. Reservoir-specific engineering studies should be completed before operational, regulatory, or capital investment decisions are made.

About Global Environmental Solutions

Global Environmental Solutions (GES) develops practical environmental technologies that help municipalities, industrial facilities, mining operations, agricultural producers, and infrastructure owners solve complex environmental challenges through applied engineering.

GES specializes in water conservation, reservoir evaporation reduction, dust suppression, erosion control, environmental remediation, water quality improvement, and specialty chemical technologies. By combining scientific research with real-world operational experience, GES develops solutions that improve environmental performance while reducing long-term operating costs. GES is committed to advancing practical, science-based environmental technologies that help customers improve operational efficiency while protecting valuable natural resources.

For additional information or to start a complimentary reservoir evaporation assessments please contact Global Environmental Solutions.

Wastewater lagoons are one of the most cost-effective methods of treating municipal and industrial wastewater, but their large exposed surface area creates operational challenges that become more pronounced over time. Algae growth, odor emissions, and evaporation losses can affect treatment performance, increase operating costs, and create compliance concerns for utilities and industrial facilities alike.

Floating covers address these issues directly by reducing surface exposure while preserving the lagoon’s underlying treatment process. Depending on the application, floating wastewater covers can provide significant reductions in sunlight penetration, evaporation, and odor emissions while requiring minimal infrastructure modifications.

This article examines how floating covers perform in wastewater lagoon applications, which cover technologies are best suited for different lagoon designs, and the factors operators should evaluate when specifying a wastewater lagoon cover system.

Why Wastewater Lagoons Benefit from Surface Coverage

Wastewater lagoons rely on biological treatment processes that are influenced by sunlight, temperature fluctuations, wind exposure, and surface conditions. Open lagoon surfaces are frequently associated with three common operational challenges.

Algae Growth

Sunlight penetrating the water surface promotes algae growth, particularly during warmer months. Excessive algae can contribute to elevated total suspended solids (TSS) in lagoon effluent, increase treatment variability, and create additional operational challenges for downstream processes.

Reducing light penetration through the water surface can help minimize algae growth without requiring routine chemical treatment in many applications.

Odor Generation

Facultative and anaerobic wastewater lagoons may produce hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and other volatile compounds as part of normal biological treatment processes. When these compounds escape freely from the water surface, nearby residential or commercial areas may experience odor impacts that result in complaints and increased regulatory scrutiny.

While floating covers are not intended to provide complete gas containment unless specifically designed to do so, reducing exposed surface area can significantly reduce odor emissions in many wastewater applications.

Evaporation Losses

In warm, arid, or windy environments, wastewater lagoons can experience substantial evaporation losses over time. Beyond water loss itself, evaporation may increase constituent concentrations and influence downstream treatment requirements.

Floating cover technologies have been shown to substantially reduce evaporation losses in many applications. Actual performance will depend on factors including coverage percentage, local climate conditions, wind exposure, and lagoon geometry.

By addressing algae growth, odor emissions, and evaporation simultaneously, floating covers provide utilities and industrial operators with an additional tool for improving lagoon performance and operational consistency.

Benefits of Floating Covers for Wastewater Lagoons

Floating cover systems may provide several operational benefits, including:

• Reduced sunlight penetration that can help suppress algae growth
• Reduced odor emissions from exposed lagoon surfaces
• Reduced evaporation losses
• Modular installation with minimal infrastructure requirements
• Automatic adjustment to changing water levels
• Compatibility with many aeration and mixing configurations
• Reduced maintenance requirements compared to some traditional cover systems
• Flexible coverage percentages that can be tailored to project objectives

The specific benefits achieved will depend on lagoon design, treatment objectives, operating conditions, and the selected cover technology.

How Floating Sphere Systems Work on Wastewater Lagoons

Floating sphere systems are modular hollow plastic balls that float freely on the water surface and naturally pack together to form a self-adjusting floating layer. Similar technologies have been used for decades in water and wastewater applications to reduce surface exposure while accommodating changing operating conditions.

On wastewater lagoons, floating sphere systems perform several functions simultaneously.

The spheres reduce ultraviolet and visible light penetration that contributes to algae photosynthesis, helping suppress bloom formation in many applications. They also reduce the amount of exposed water surface available for evaporation and the release of volatile compounds that contribute to odors.

Because the spheres float independently rather than functioning as a single connected membrane, they automatically rise and fall with changing water levels without requiring anchoring or tensioning systems.

Floating sphere systems may also be well suited for retrofits because they can accommodate many existing lagoon configurations. Depending on the application, the spheres can move around fixed infrastructure such as mixers, aeration equipment, and sampling locations without requiring significant modifications to existing systems.

Matching the Cover Technology to the Lagoon Type

Not every wastewater lagoon has the same treatment objectives, and the most appropriate cover technology will depend on the lagoon’s specific function.

Facultative Lagoons and Stabilization Ponds

Facultative lagoons are commonly concerned with algae management, evaporation reduction, and odor control. Floating sphere systems can substantially reduce sunlight penetration while allowing coverage percentages to be tailored around treatment objectives and operational considerations.

Aerated Lagoons and Equalization Basins

Aerated lagoons and equalization basins require cover systems that can accommodate mechanical or diffused aeration equipment. Floating sphere systems are often well suited for these applications because they adjust naturally with water movement and can be designed around existing infrastructure requirements.

Polishing Ponds

Polishing ponds frequently use floating covers to minimize late-stage algae growth that may affect final effluent quality before discharge or reuse applications.

Anaerobic Lagoons and Digester Ponds

When complete odor containment or biogas collection is required, sealed floating geomembrane covers are frequently the preferred solution. These systems are capable of providing substantially greater gas containment than modular floating sphere technologies and are often selected when regulatory or process requirements demand full surface sealing.

Selecting the appropriate cover technology should consider treatment objectives, regulatory requirements, equipment configurations, and long-term maintenance expectations.

Floating Sphere Systems vs. Floating Geomembrane Covers

Wastewater lagoon operators evaluating floating covers typically compare floating sphere systems with floating geomembrane covers.

Floating geomembrane covers form a continuous barrier across the lagoon surface and are generally preferred when projects require:

• Biogas collection
• Complete or near-complete odor containment
• Full surface isolation
• Specific permit or regulatory requirements for gas management

These systems typically involve greater installation complexity, including anchoring systems, membrane seaming, and periodic inspection requirements.

Floating sphere systems offer a different set of advantages, including:

• Simplified installation
• Modular and scalable deployment
• No membrane seaming requirements
• Automatic adjustment to changing water levels
• Compatibility with many existing lagoon configurations

For many facultative lagoons, aerated lagoons, equalization basins, and polishing ponds where algae control, evaporation reduction, and odor mitigation are the primary objectives, floating sphere systems may provide an attractive cost-to-performance alternative.

The appropriate solution will ultimately depend on the operational goals of the individual facility.

Sizing a Floating Cover for a Wastewater Lagoon

Proper sizing of a floating wastewater cover involves more than simply calculating surface area.

Engineers should consider:

• Total lagoon surface area
• Desired coverage percentage
• Treatment objectives
• Local wind and climate conditions
• Existing aeration or mixing equipment
• Access requirements for maintenance and sampling
• Regulatory or permit considerations

Coverage requirements are highly application-specific. A lagoon experiencing significant algae issues may warrant a different design approach than one primarily seeking evaporation reduction or odor mitigation.

Proper sizing helps balance performance objectives with project costs while ensuring the selected cover system complements existing treatment operations.

Working With GES on Wastewater Lagoon Coverage

Every wastewater lagoon presents a unique combination of treatment objectives, environmental conditions, and operational requirements. Selecting the appropriate floating cover technology requires consideration of lagoon type, desired performance outcomes, existing infrastructure, and long-term operating expectations.

GES works directly with utilities, consulting engineers, contractors, and industrial operators to evaluate wastewater lagoon cover requirements and develop preliminary sizing and cost estimates for floating sphere systems.

EnviroBalls® floating covers are manufactured in the United States, which may help support domestic sourcing requirements for federally funded infrastructure projects, including certain projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and State Revolving Fund programs.

If you are evaluating floating cover options for a wastewater lagoon, contact the GES team for a no-obligation coverage assessment and preliminary sizing estimate tailored to your specific application.

Water is one of the most valuable resources at many industrial facilities, yet it is often taken for granted until it becomes expensive to replace or difficult to manage. Whether it’s a stormwater retention pond, fire suppression reservoir, wastewater lagoon, or process water storage basin, maintaining water quality and minimizing maintenance costs are ongoing challenges across many industries.

Open water storage systems are continuously exposed to sunlight, wind, and changing weather conditions. Over time, these factors contribute to evaporation losses, algae growth, increased maintenance requirements, and higher operating costs. While each issue may seem relatively minor on its own, the combined impact can become significant over the life of a facility.

For industrial operators looking to improve water conservation efforts and reduce maintenance demands, floating water covers offer a practical and passive solution.

Common Industrial Applications

Floating water covers are utilized in a wide range of industrial applications, including:

• Stormwater retention and detention ponds
• Fire suppression water storage reservoirs
• Wastewater treatment lagoons
• Process water storage systems
• Mining and aggregate operations
• Equalization basins
• Reclaimed water storage facilities
• Manufacturing and chemical processing operations
• Cooling water storage systems

Although every facility has unique operational requirements, many are facing the same fundamental challenge—protecting valuable water resources while controlling operating costs.

Understanding the Cost of Evaporation

When discussing water conservation, most people immediately think about water usage inside a facility. However, water losses from evaporation can represent a significant and often overlooked expense.

The true cost of evaporation extends beyond simply replacing lost water. Facilities may also incur expenses associated with:

• Purchasing or treating replacement water
• Pumping and handling costs
• Additional labor requirements
• Increased chemical treatment needs
• Operational inefficiencies during periods of drought or water restrictions

Reducing evaporation can help facilities better manage both costs and sustainability objectives. While the amount of water lost will vary depending on climate conditions and surface area, large water storage systems can lose substantial volumes of water over time.

Minimizing Algae Growth

Algae growth is another common challenge associated with open water storage systems. Excessive sunlight promotes algae development, which may contribute to:

• Increased maintenance requirements
• Additional chemical treatment costs
• Equipment fouling
• Water quality concerns
• Unpleasant odors
• Sediment accumulation over time

Many facilities rely on periodic chemical treatments to address algae growth after it occurs. An alternative approach is to minimize the conditions that allow algae to thrive in the first place.

Floating water covers work by limiting the amount of sunlight reaching the water’s surface, helping to reduce algae growth while lowering the frequency of maintenance activities.

Reducing Maintenance Requirements

Maintenance costs are often difficult to quantify because they are distributed across labor, chemicals, equipment, and operational downtime. Open water systems may require ongoing attention throughout the year, including:

• Water replenishment
• Chemical treatments
• Vegetation management
• Surface cleaning
• Equipment inspections
• Pump and piping maintenance

Small improvements in maintenance requirements can provide meaningful savings when considered over the lifetime of an industrial facility.

One advantage of floating water covers is their simplicity. Because they are passive systems with no moving parts, they continuously provide surface coverage without requiring power or complex operating procedures.

Supporting Sustainability Initiatives

Water conservation has become an increasingly important component of corporate sustainability programs. Organizations across many industries are establishing goals related to:

• Water conservation
• Resource efficiency
• Reduced chemical consumption
• Improved environmental stewardship
• Lower operating costs

Projects that simultaneously improve sustainability performance and provide economic benefits are often among the most attractive investments for industrial facilities.

Reducing evaporation losses not only conserves water but may also decrease the resources required to maintain water storage systems over time.

Selecting a Floating Water Cover Solution

No two water storage applications are exactly alike. Before selecting a floating water cover technology, facilities should consider several factors, including:

• Climate conditions
• Pond size and geometry
• Water chemistry
• Maintenance objectives
• Durability requirements
• UV resistance
• Installation considerations
• Long-term operating costs

Understanding both the operational requirements and performance objectives of a project is essential when evaluating potential solutions.

A Practical Approach to Water Management

Industrial facilities are continually challenged to do more with fewer resources. Technologies that improve operational efficiency without increasing complexity are often the most successful over the long term.

Floating water covers provide a practical approach to addressing several common water management challenges simultaneously. Depending upon the application, facilities may realize benefits that include:

• Reduced evaporation losses
• Lower algae growth potential
• Reduced maintenance requirements
• Improved water conservation
• Lower chemical usage
• Enhanced environmental performance
• Long-term operational savings

As industries continue investing in sustainable infrastructure and water conservation initiatives, protecting valuable water resources will remain an important priority.

EnviroBalls™ Floating Water Covers

EnviroBalls™ Floating Water Covers are designed for demanding industrial applications requiring long-lasting performance and minimal maintenance. Our team works with customers to evaluate project requirements, estimate material quantities, and identify opportunities to improve water conservation and reduce operating costs.

If you’re evaluating options for industrial water storage systems, we’d be happy to discuss your application and determine whether a floating water cover is an appropriate solution for your facility, please contact us today at EnviroBalls@DirtGlue.com or by connecting with us here.

Floating shade balls for reservoirs are engineered HDPE water covers designed to reduce evaporation, help maintain water quality, reduce sunlight exposure that can contribute to algae growth, and protect reservoir infrastructure from UV-light exposure. These floating shade ball systems are used in drinking water reservoirs, industrial ponds, wastewater lagoons, and agricultural water storage.

As drought conditions and water scarcity intensify across the United States, municipalities, industrial operators, utilities, and agricultural facilities are increasingly turning to engineered floating cover systems. Among the most widely evaluated technologies are shade balls for reservoirs, also known as floating shade balls, reservoir balls, reservoir shade balls, modular floating covers, evaporation control systems, or floating HDPE ball covers.

Global Environmental Solutions (GES) offers EnviroBalls™, engineered floating cover systems designed for reservoirs, ponds, lagoons, industrial basins, and water storage infrastructure throughout North America.

What Are Floating Shade Balls and How Do They Protect Reservoirs?

Shade balls are hollow, UV-stabilized HDPE (high-density polyethylene) floating spheres that form a modular cover across the surface of stored water. Deployed at scale, they create a protective barrier that reduces sunlight penetration, minimizes evaporation, suppresses algae growth, deters wildlife, and reduces chemical consumption.

Unlike fixed membrane covers or rigid structures, modular floating ball systems conform naturally to fluctuating water levels and irregular basin shapes.

Common applications include:

• Potable water reservoirs
• Stormwater retention ponds
• Wastewater lagoons
• Mining and industrial process ponds
• Agricultural water storage
• Airport and wildlife management ponds
• Chemical and industrial basins

Why Reservoir Operators Choose Floating Shade Ball Systems

1. Evaporation Reduction

Reducing evaporative water loss is the leading reason facilities deploy shade balls for reservoirs. Open reservoirs lose substantial volume due to solar radiation, wind exposure, high ambient temperatures, and low humidity. Modular floating covers limit direct solar exposure and surface energy transfer, and even modest evaporation reductions translate into significant operational savings for facilities storing millions of gallons. Evaporation reduction can be a critical factor when considering reservoir shade balls or floating water covers.

2. Algae Suppression and Improved Water Quality

Sunlight drives algae growth in open water systems. By blocking UV and visible light, floating shade balls suppress photosynthetic activity in the water column, reducing algae formation, lowering chemical demand, improving water quality stability, and decreasing maintenance frequency. This benefit is critical for potable water reservoirs, industrial process water, stormwater systems, and agricultural irrigation storage.

3. Bromate Formation Mitigation

In ozone-based water treatment systems, sunlight exposure can contribute to bromate formation at the water surface. Floating shade ball covers help limit UV-driven reactions, which is one reason municipalities and utilities have deployed this technology in large reservoir applications.

4. Wildlife and Bird Deterrence

Open reservoirs attract birds and wildlife, introducing contaminants and creating operational challenges. Floating covers reduce available landing surface, discourage wildlife congregation, and improve sanitary conditions. Facilities near airports, where bird activity poses aviation safety risks, have found floating ball systems particularly effective for wildlife management.

5. Modular, Scalable Installation

Unlike permanent rigid cover systems, modular shade ball covers require minimal infrastructure modifications. EnviroBalls™ install quickly, scale to any basin size, adapt to irregular geometry, and accommodate fluctuating water levels, making them suitable for both temporary applications and long-term reservoir protection.

Why HDPE Is the Material of Choice for Shade Balls

Most engineered shade balls are manufactured from UV-stabilized HDPE for its chemical resistance, impact durability, UV performance, environmental stress crack resistance, and long service life. Black UV-stabilized HDPE is the standard specification because it provides maximum UV absorption and proven outdoor durability in demanding environments.

Key Specifications to Evaluate When Sourcing Shade Balls

UV Stabilization

UV exposure is the most critical durability factor for outdoor floating systems. Resin selection and carbon black loading significantly affect long-term performance. Request documented UV stabilization data from any supplier.

Material Quality

Evaluate virgin resin vs. recycled content, wall thickness consistency, impact resistance, and manufacturing quality controls.

Regulatory Compliance

Depending on the application, facilities should assess NSF/ANSI 61 compliance, FDA resin standards, drinking water compatibility, and Buy America or domestic manufacturing requirements.

EnviroBalls™ Reservoir Cover vs. Traditional Fixed Reservoir Covers

Feature	EnviroBalls™	Fixed Membrane Covers
Modular	Yes	Limited
Adapts to water levels	Yes	Often limited
Retrofit-friendly	Yes	Sometimes
Structural support required	Minimal	Higher
Expandable	Yes	Limited
Installation complexity	Moderate	Often high
Maintenance access	Flexible	Can be restricted

The right solution depends on reservoir geometry, climate, water chemistry, regulatory requirements, budget, and operational goals.

Industries Using Reservoir Shade Balls

Floating shade ball systems are actively evaluated across municipal water utilities, wastewater treatment facilities, mining operations, agriculture and irrigation, power generation, industrial manufacturing, airports and aviation facilities, HOAs and golf courses, and stormwater management operators.

EnviroBalls™ by Global Environmental Solutions (GES)

EnviroBalls™ are engineered modular floating cover systems built for demanding reservoir and industrial applications. GES supports customers with layout calculations, surface coverage estimates, site-specific evaluations, and full engineering support for commercial and municipal projects.

Applications include:

• Water conservation and evaporation reduction
• Algae suppression
• Wildlife deterrence
• Industrial basin covers
• Acid mist suppression
• Stormwater management

Frequently Asked Questions About Shade Balls for Reservoirs

How many shade balls does a reservoir need?

Coverage requirements depend on basin surface area and the desired level of shading. GES provides site-specific layout calculations and coverage estimates based on your facility’s dimensions.

Are shade balls safe for drinking water reservoirs?

EnviroBalls™ are engineered to support drinking water compatibility requirements. Contact GES to discuss your specific regulatory needs.

Why Choose EnviroBalls™ Floating Water Covers?

EnviroBalls™ are designed for long-term outdoor performance, with Engineered UV-resistant HDPE construction. Offering a simple installation with no structural cover system, EnviroBalls™ are scalable for reservoirs of any size. Technical support backed by GES’s expertise in water conservation.

What are the Best Uses and Applications of Floating Shade Ball Systems? Drinking water reservoirs, Industrial process water ponds, Wastewater lagoons, Agricultural irrigation ponds, Agricultural water storage, livestock and ranch water storage, Mining water storage, Stormwater ponds, Fire water storage, fire protection water ponds, water storage, and drinking water storage all can benefit from floating shade ball systems. 

The Future of Floating Reservoir Cover Systems

Water scarcity, drought management, infrastructure resilience, and environmental compliance demands are all growing. For facilities weighing evaporation control, water quality improvement, and long-term operational flexibility, floating shade balls are one of the most practical and cost-effective tools available today.

 

Contact Global Environmental Solutions (GES) to learn more about EnviroBalls™ floating reservoir cover systems.

GES supports municipalities, industrial operators, utilities, and infrastructure projects throughout the United States. Get started now.