Thanks for the reminder, I asked a question on another thread about our farm pond and promptly went off to the shepards conference and didn't follow up.

Here's the info Ken requested. The pond(s) on our farm are fairly shallow and spring fed. The one I was asking about is at the end of the lane, covers about 2 acres and is probably the deepest on the place. I really don't know the depth except that when I was a kid we lost a cow (one of the registered angus of course) in the pond. It is spring feed, no inlet or outlet.

I was told by a wildlife biologist, the same one that had me plant Russian Olive Bushes for wildlife, what a mistake that was, that the pond was dying - I guess a natural kind of thing. He said it was filling in with decayed vegetation and would eventually become a bog.

It is covered with about one third brush/cattails, one third cattails, mostly around the edges and about 1/3 water. During the summer there is a green plant that grows on the surface, not really skummy.

I can't imagine there are fish in it, my dad did plant some catfish many years ago but I'm sure they no longer exist, lots of frogs, ducks and once geese, and regular and snapping turtles. The ducks and geese never seem to stay and raise young I expect because of the turtles. Some trees along the edges have fallen in and the wildlife does make good use of the watering hole and cover. Actually I was surprised the trails that led to the pond when I went back after all this snow. Supposedly pheasant like the cattails for cover.

I'd like to kill off the vegetation enough to allow for some kind of fish to survive. Couple people have suggested dreging and chemicals (I would think it would take a lot). I'm not interested in poisoning the pond and can't afford the cost of either solution. I guess I've just kinda put it on the back burner until a better idea comes along . . . maybe you folks will have the better ideas! Thanks in advance for your help.

-- Betsy K (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), January 06, 2001

Answers

What you have,now,is a shallow water impoundment pond very suitable for wildlife.In PA,cost sharing was available for putting in such structures.They are also great for filtering sediment from fields and runoff.It's not dying,just following a natural progression.I don't care for the biologist using that term.So,I guess first decide if you are managing for wildlife or fish.

You can catch the snappers and eat them.Fried turtle,turtle soup.Our one neighbor was happy to get a nice sized one we got.Bait a hook with piece of raw fish or raw meat on treble hook,with a swival,attached to a tree.Instructions from the fisherman in the family.Then ducks will have a better chance of survival.

If your primary purpose is fish,you have no choice but dredge,at least a portion of it.If you hit it in a drought year,you may get it dry enough to bulldoze,and that's not too costly,at $30 an hour,here.,Many people here cleaned out their ponds last year,taking advantage of the drought.There are probably some fish in there,unless it's really bad with algae bloom,and thus low in O2 in the summer.We've had great fishing in ponds similar to what you describe.

Which leads to my next question.Do you have alot of agriculture runoff? It sounds like you may.That's another issue.

Cows like cattails.Ours kept them down ,in our back pond.Having some is good.Helps with that filtration mentioned above.You just don't want them to ring the pond. Cattails are edible! Eat some?

Russian olive is considered invasive in our state.Is your bioligist an older one? Doesn't sound current.

Oh,pull the trees out,and pile the brush along the edges, if you like.You already have a lot of cover.

I haven't had to kill off vegetation,so I don't know organic alternatives,off the top of my head.If no one else does,either,I'll ask around on some other forums.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), January 06, 2001.

Hello Betsy, Grass crap may work for you. Turttles do eat the vegatation as well. That old thing called Manual Labor may work when the water level is low. If the water is clean, have a party & challenge who can pull out the most weeds! have fun, Larry

-- Larry W (Nuts4bees@aol.com), January 07, 2001.