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So You Think You Want a Pond?. Developed by: Susan Donaldson University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. USDA NRCS. What we’ll cover. What is a pond? Why have a pond? Types of ponds Pond requirements and issues Site considerations Water quality, vegetation and fish
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So You Think You Want a Pond? Developed by: Susan Donaldson University of Nevada Cooperative Extension USDA NRCS
What we’ll cover • What is a pond? • Why have a pond? • Types of ponds • Pond requirements and issues • Site considerations • Water quality, vegetation and fish • Maintaining your pond
What’s a pond? • Lake: more than 10 acres • Pond: less than 10 acres • Pond: manmade • Arbitrary distinction - smaller than a lake! UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Why do you want to have a pond? • Irrigation water storage (is it legal?) • Stock watering • Aesthetics • Wildlife habitat • Fish production • Recreation • Fire suppression, etc. USDA NRCS
Pros and cons of pond ownership • Aesthetics versus ugliness • Water storage versus legal issues • Livestock watering versus water quality • Recreation versus public health, safety, risk management • Habitat versus nuisance species USDA NRCS
Ponds are a lot of work! UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Types of ponds • In-stream dammed ponds () • Excavated, off-stream ponds • Empoundments • Water features (not included in this presentation) USDA NRCS
Contemplating a pond? • Consider water sources • Surface runoff • Streams • Springs • Groundwater • Wells • Seeps USDA NRCS
Water use • Do you have the right to an adequate amount of water to keep the pond filled during hot weather? • How much evaporation will occur from the water surface? • No water, no pond! USDA NRCS
Laws and liabilities • Check on local and state laws regarding liability and other issues • Check your CC&Rs • Check with your insurer USDA NCRS
Permits • Obtain needed permits • Water rights • Excavation • Pollution • Army Corps of Engineers • Etc. USDA NCRS
Neighboring issues USDA NRCS
You still think you want a pond? USDA NRCS
Soil type Bottom soils and seepage: • Fine-textured clays and silty clays work best • Sandy soils won’t hold water • If bottom materials are not suitable, the rate of water loss may be unacceptable
Site considerations – potential hazards www.earthponds.com
More site considerations • Keep pond at least 100 feet from a septic leach field • Don’t build on top of buried pipelines, cables or utilities • Site should be accessible for maintenance • Pond should fit into the design for the rest of your landscaping USDA NRCS
Depth and size issues • A deeper pond has less nuisance weed growth and less temperature fluctuation • For fish habitat, a pond should be deep enough to avoid winter freezing issues • Keep pond at least 3 feet deep to avoid cattail encroachment • Size of the pond depends on water availability, CC&Rs, risk and insurance costs, etc.
Health issues • Flow rate and stagnation • Mosquito habitat • Disease UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Water quality issues • Ponds may be a source of water quality impairment • Sediment • Nutrients • Temperature UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Water quality issues: hot springs ponds • These ponds are filled with thermal waters • Water quality is likely to be poor, with high levels of minerals • Your neighbors may complain about odors • The water is not suitable for fish
Safety issues • Emergency spillway: how much water does the spillway hold? • More severe events may destroy a dam • Will the failure threaten your home or someone else's home? UNCE, Reno, Nev. USDA NRCS
Vegetation issues • Identify your plants • Select species for revegetation • Learn about plant management needs and longevity • Manage invasive species USDA NRCS
Fish-stocking issues • When stocking, consider water quality needs • Temperature • Dissolved oxygen • pH • Nutrients USDA NRCS
Fish-stocking issues • Permit requirements – contact local fisheries department or U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service • Appropriate species • Fish needs • Stocking rates • Best time to stock USDA NRCS
Maintaining your pond USDA NRCS
Sediment accumulation • Consider periodic dredging, perhaps every five to 10 years • To decrease sediment accumulations, never construct a pond within a stream • Control sediment in inflow water USDA NRCS
Muddy water Determine the cause: • Remove fish that are rooting around • Fence out livestock • Establish moderate growth of vegetation including rushes, sedge and cattails to protect pond banks from erosion USDA NRCS
Muddy water Determine the cause: • Keep domestic ducks and geese away from the pond • Maintain good vegetative cover throughout the watershed • Plant windbreaks to decrease wind-related wave action www.morningsidepark.org
Muddy water from clay particles • Apply alum or other materials • Add organic matter (barley hay) www.conservect.org
Leaky ponds • Determine the cause • For porous soils, use bentonite clay applied to dry pond soils at a rate of 1 to 3 pounds per square foot of basin • Incorporate the clay into the soil using a rototiller or disk, then compact it with a “sheep’s foot” roller or soil compactor
Leaky ponds • Commercial pond liners are available, but are expensive • Drought conditions can cause cracking and leaking www.geomembranes.com
Algae A. Miller
Algae • Planktonic • Filamentous • Attached (periphyton) Big Bear Municipal Water District www.aquaticsystems.us www.epa.gov
www.pca.state.mn.us aquaplant.tamu.edu Filamentous algae Blue-green algae Nuisance algae
Tips for controlling algae • Reduce nutrients, especially phosphorus • Try biological controls, such as barley straw – may not be effective • Improve pond aeration • Remove by hand (for filamentous algae) • Apply chemicals
Excess aquatic vegetation UNCE, Reno, Nev.
Excess aquatic vegetation • Consider mechanical removal or sterile grass carp to eat plants. • Check with your fisheries department to see if permits are needed. www.thebestlinks.com
Excess aquatic vegetation • Chemical controls www.dunnsfishfarm.com www.macarthurwatergardens.com
Fish kills Causes include: • Lack of dissolved oxygen (summer problem) • Decaying aquatic vegetation • Hot water • Chemical contamination • Diseases www.epa.qld.gov.au
Tips for avoiding fish kills • Consider adding an aeration system to increase dissolved oxygen • Avoid using toxic materials and fertilizers adjacent to the pond • Don’t make lawn pesticide applications in the pond drainage area if it will rain, or if you irrigate with pond water • Fence out grazing animals
Wildlife damage • Burrowing animals • Muskrats and beavers • Nuisance fish, fish diseases and parasites • Waterfowl, especially Canada geese (manure, aggressive males, honking, etc.) U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Wildlife damage If you provide water, they will come! • To the pond itself • To other parts of your property U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Aquatic plants at the surface can provide shelter for mosquito larvae Shallow water less than 1 inch deep can provide a safe place for mosquito larvae to grow Plants hanging into the pond can provide shelter for mosquito larvae Mosquitoes Graphic adapted from www.mosquitoes.org by A. Miller
Tips for mosquito prevention • Add mosquito-eating fish • Don’t let plants touch the water surface • Avoid fertilizer and nutrient contamination of the pond www.ventura.org
Tips for preventing pond problems • Don’t build one in the first place! • Fence livestock out of the pond and provide an alternate freeze-proof, year-round watering source USDA NRCS
Tips for preventing pond problems • Maintain deep pond edges to deter the growth of aquatic weeds (3 to 4 feet) • Maintain healthy vegetation on the margins of the pond • Manage your pond to minimize problem algae that may shelter mosquitoes. Nutrient control will help reduce algae blooms.
Homework • Inventory your pond. • What’s growing on the banks? • What’s growing in the water? • How deep is the pond? • What temperature is the water? • Do the jar test. • If you don’t have a pond, write your own personal pro and con list.