Ponds | Williamson County

Managing ponds may not be as simple as many people think. It is important to monitor these systems closely and correctly to ensure a functioning pond, healthy fish population, clean water source, and a visually appeasing asset.

This page contains a growing list of information and research on managing the integrity and structure, fish population, controlling unwanted weeds and more.

Information

Ponds are living structures that have to be constantly managed. Failure to do so can cause the structure of the pond to fail. There are multitude of reasons why ponds begin to leak: not properly compacted, improper base content, sinkholes, animals, vegetation, decaying roots, leaky dams or levees, or altered watershed. Repair options can vary vastly in scope and cost. When evaluating a decision to build, repair, or renovate, it is extremely important to utilize a proven pond builder. No pond is guaranteed, so achieving the bests odds come using those with experience. Below are a few resources of use and do not ever hesitate to reach out with questions.

Pond Construction Resources

Plants also remove phosphorus, nitrogen, and other elements from the water column. The southeastern United States has a mild climate that provides an ideal habitat for many organisms, including aquatic plants. Because our waters are typically warm and nutrient-rich, aquatic plants flourish and grow quickly, which can result in excessive growth.

A very important factor before determining the best control method for your pond situation is to know the alkalinity of the pond. If applying copper sulfate in a pond containing fish, it can be toxic. The alkalinity of a pond with must be above 30 ppm to utilize copper sulfate. Test strips can be found at most pool supply stores.

When treating a pond with an abundance of vegetation, it is important to only treat only 1/3 of the pond at a time. Rapid death of the vegatation can deplete the oxygen in the pond potentially causing a fish kill.

Vegetation Control

A pond that consistently produces good fishing is the result of proper construction, stocking, and management. Establishing clearly-defined objectives and management plan for the pond is important to insure success. Success or failure depends on applying best management practices to establish and maintain adequate fish populations. Proper stocking with correct species and numbers of fish, stocking at the proper time of year, balancing harvest, managing water quality, and controlling nuisance aquatic weeds are basics that are important to success. The resource below provides a lot of excellent information regarding fisheries and resources that are available to you.

UT Fisheries

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Matt Horsman
Extension Agent