Early in my career, I had the pleasure of spending some time working on ponds on the internationally famous W.T. Waggoner Estate Ranch. That massive amount of land covers 550,000 acres in north Texas and sits in parts of six counties, near the town of Vernon. This iconic ranch recently has been in the news. It sold, much to the chagrin of the traditionalists…not to mention those deeply in touch with its heritage and history. Just for perspective, visualize a land mass about 30 miles wide and 50 miles long, in one contiguous piece of privately owned property. I bet there are 500 ponds and lakes on that parcel. Heck, they don’t even know how many ponds they have. Most were built for watering livestock, but beginning in the 1980’s, a few of them were designated for fishing. As I traveled around the ranch with the staff game warden (yes, they have private game wardens on staff), I became convinced there are places on that property where no human foot had ever trampled…ever. I also became convinced there are too many microclimates around that ranch to count. There are arid areas with rough, rock covered cedar breaks. There are fertile soils with enough rain to support good crops of wheat. Heck, one of those wheat fields covered 20,000 acres at that point in time. It took a full day for a tractor to plow around it one time.

But, the thing that stands out to me most of all, as a passionate pond guy, was how we could go into one pasture and see a pristine, beautiful, clear pond with a few trees around it and then go less than a quarter-mile and see a pond the same color as chocolate milk with an orange tint. There were some ponds on that property that I swear looked exactly like the barren red dirt that surrounded it. The only way you could tell it was a pond was because it was flat. Even more fascinating was the fact that some of these mud holes produced some giant bass. There were not many bass, but some of them learned to play the game in those muddy waters well enough to exceed thirteen pounds.

“Checking visibility of a muddy lake to begin the process of clearing it.”

That ranch was my introduction into clearing muddy waters. We tried bales of hay that had been rained on and sometimes it helped. Often it didn’t. If not, we’d try aglime. Or, maybe some gypsum. After all, most of the clear waters on that ranch had measureable amounts of gypsum, which occurs naturally in some of the soils, especially on the western edges of that property.

Sure, we’d do the jar tests. We’d set up five or six one gallon glass pickle jars I’d grab from a football concession stand. Jar one was used as a control—just pond water. In Jars two-five, we’d add pond water and different concentrations of these various concoctions. It was fun, even if not totally helpful.

When it was all said and done, most of the time we used aluminum sulfate, alum, if you will. We’d launch a boat, have the alum in big plastic barrels sitting on a trailer backed up to the edge of the lake, and a water pump with hoses to draft pond water. On the intake side, we’d have a Venturi device we made by simply adding a smaller hose (like a one-inch hose) with a valve. The small hose was long enough to dip into a container of alum in the boat. We’d shove off with one guy driving the boat and another operating the pump. We’d mix and spray alum…and watch to see what happened to the water. At some point during that adventure, we began to see changes as little red clumps started forming in the water. It was like all those suspended clay particles became magnetic, attracting and sticking to each other. When that happened, it was our trigger to slow down. If we didn’t, we’d see a rapid pH shift in the water. A rapid pH shift would cause a fish kill. A fish kill would cause another loss…our job. It’s one of those “trickle down” economic effects. As we slowed down, the clumps would dissipate. It was fascinating to watch. We’d add a little more alum and wait. Clumps would form and then melt. Finally, when we reached the break point, the clumps would stick together, become heavy, and sink. A pond would go from chocolate milk to Caribbean blue in a matter of hours. Just as fascinating was how long a pond would stay clear after one of those treatments. We watched some of them go from muddy to clear overnight and right back to muddy the next day. We also saw some of them go clear and stay that way. It was unpredictable.

Today’s world is quite different. With our burgeoning industry, we now have resources we didn’t have back in the early 1980’s. Most pickle jars are now plastic and we have folks with microscopes in labs that can look at pond water and help us figure out why it’s so muddy… ‘er turbid. That’s the word today, turbid. There are people who have designed different products to assist with muddy, ‘er turbid, waters. Oh yes, there are still the methods of those days long ago, especially gypsum and alum, but now we can adjust the nutrients if turbidity is based around domination of a specific type of microorganism or a single cell plant or bacteria. There are also polymers available, which will specifically focus on removing certain suspended soils or solids and leave the nutrients alone.

So, nowadays, more effort is centered on diagnosing the issue and then prescribing a plan of action, rather than rolling the dice in a boat and shooting out a dose of alum. Not that those old methods won’t work, but it’s like comparing Grey Poupon mustard to French’s—it’s a refined taste. Remember one of the Laws of Nature: With every move we make, there’s a reaction in nature. Several of those Waggoner Ranch ponds we treated actually traded problems. I remember one in particular. It went from muddy to clear overnight and within a month was 90% covered in bushy pondweed. That clear water was shallow and all it needed was sunlight to grow bunches of plants all over the place.

“Collecting a sample to test with gypsum, alum or to simply see if the clay particles will settle on their own.”

More recently, we’ve done some work in central Texas, near the small burg of Hico, purportedly the final home of Billy the Kid. At least there’s a museum there about the notorious outlaw with all kinds of research proving he lived there.

Just outside Hico is John and Ellen McStay’s ranch. On that ranch resides a 14 acre lake teeming with nice bass and bluegills. The problem? The lake, which a few short years ago was a nice, healthy shade of green and you could see your feet in three feet of water, has gone turbid.

Mr. McStay became convinced the channel catfish in the lake kept it stirred up, so he and the ranch staff began harvesting catfish. Still muddy. Its color today resembles an olive-colored cupcake, sort of a deep-green batter-looking color. It doesn’t seem to be affecting the fishery, as that portion of the equation is thriving. But, it affects catching…or seems to. Team McStay can fish for hours with a minimum of luck compared to what fun they’ve had in the past and also when compared to a crystal clear lake on the ranch across the road. Launch an electrofishing boat in their lake and fish pop up all over the underwater creek channel and standing brush. But, toss out your favorite crankbait and nada, zilch, nothing.

But, there is a difference worth thinking through. Several years ago, while in the throes of one of those 100 year droughts Texas seems to be having every couple of years, the lake level dropped dramatically. The McStay’s took advantage of the drought to deepen the upper end of the lake. They added several surface acres and deepened the shoreline of other parts of the lake. They added some well water and the rains came and re-filled the parched lake. A couple years later they noticed a difference. Starting about three or four years ago, the clear water changed. Visibility dropped. Over the last 12 months, they’ve faithfully kept visibility records. They’ve collected samples of water and sent them to different labs, hoping for some analysis that will lead to a magic bullet, maybe something as simple as that alum stuff. They’ve spoken with at least five water quality experts.

It’s become almost detective-esque, like some wet water novel, hopefully with a magical ending where everyone lives happily ever after and the fish jump into the boat, begging to be caught.

Water was collected, sent to a microbiologist and found to have almost 500,000 algae cells per milliliter. 77% of those cells were bluegreen algae, cyanobacteria, if you will. That explains the olive color tint to the water. But, there’s more. Suspended non-algae particulates were even more abundant and are at least 15 times more abundant than that green stuff. Interestingly, prior water samples suggest those suspended particulates are mostly diatoms which may have been dead for eons, literally.

This more scientific approach now leads the experts to think a multi-pronged attack may be necessary, because the “problem” has several layers. First, the cyanobacteria are most likely thriving because of an imbalance of nutrients. Recent research is proving that bluegreen algaes grow when the balance of nutrients leans too heavily on phosphorus. When the proportions of usable phosphorus exceed a 20:1 ratio compared to nitrogen, cyanobacteria tend to dominate. When those ratios are closer together, more of the healthy phytoplankton can thrive, outcompeting the useless and completely non-beneficial cyanobacteria.

But, that doesn’t speak to the suspended diatoms or any microscopic clay particles (which might be one and the same).

When we dipped some of the pond water and filled an empty Dr. Pepper bottle (spontaneously harvested from the floorboard of my truck), it wasn’t long before a little cloud of dust began to settle in the tiny nooks in the bottom of that plastic vessel. At home, we added a sprinkling of powdered alum and much of the remaining solids found its way to the bottom of the bottle. But, the water was still cloudy…with that green tint. Two different samples made their way to a lab and the results began to make sense.

“Clearing Muddy Water3:  Just because water is turbid doesn’t mean fish can’t thrive.”

From our initial samples and a year’s worth of data from multiple samples, different lab evaluations, plus several brains thinking about it, the problem(s) appear to be these:

1) Bluegreen algae due to a nutrient imbalance.

2) Physical stirring of the water, due in part to the fish, but moreso because of shallow, wind-swept water in the upper reaches of the lake.

3) Suspended solids, likely due in some part to the excavation of the shallow part of the lake back in the drought. Those soils are minute, most likely the source of diatom skeletons and clay particles.

The multi-pronged attack coming together is this:

1) Minimize stirring of the water. The best thoughts, so far, are to put some windbreaks into the shallowest part of the water. Square bales of hay make the most sense, as they are easy to get. It’s windy in that part of Texas, so limiting wave action is important.

2) Analyze the ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to see what they are and adjust the nutrients by adding the missing elements and changing the ratios.

3) Harvesting of those fish that tend to please themselves on the bottom of a lake. Targets? Channel catfish (which aren’t overly abundant any more) and gizzard shad (which we want to quantify).

4) Consider aluminum sulfate, after the other elements are in place.

Looking back on those days at the Waggoner Ranch, back around 1981-82, our approach was shotgun-like. It worked sometimes, and sometimes it didn’t. We always seemed to get immediate results, but had we raised the hood and looked more deeply, we might have taken a different path. But, who knew? We didn’t have same tools we have today. Now we can analyze things to death if we choose. The course of action will tell the tale. For this story, on this day, we can come to some conclusions before we ask the landowner to shell out some of his hard-earned dollars to try some solution that, in years past, might work, or it might not.

Reprinted courtesy of Pond Boss magazine and author, Bob Lusk. For more information, www.pondboss.com or boblusk@outlook.com.

You must have it. 

What do you do? Where to start? 

There is a list of mistakes people make once they decide to build a pond. Used to, not that many years ago, you simply called the local bulldozer operator, asked him to build a pond and then, presto-chango, you had a pit surrounded by a pile of dirt that soon had water lapping at the surface. 

That’s not how it works today. 

Before enjoying those grandpeeps on the dock, catching big stringers of fish, you need to do some planning. 

The first big mistake people make is to assume. Never assume. You have to know what to expect. That means planning. Lots of planning. Planning means learning. Start with goals. Goals give you a target. 

Just because that beautiful, perfect-looking site you have in mind’s eye looks ideal…it may not be. 

A site must fit the pond and the pond must fit the site. Two totally different concepts become one. Not only should your dream pond be aesthetically appealing and fit the site, the site should be practical to build a pond. 

Uh, exactly what does that mean? 

Start with maps. Topographical maps and aerial photos. Evaluate the watershed. Most people don’t do that. The size of the watershed, compared with average rainfall for your area, determines the size a pond should be. If your watershed drains 50 acres into that valley, the pond will be a different size than for a watershed which drains 500 acres. That’s how the pond fits the site. 

After you figure out how large the pond should be, the next mistake people make is misunderstanding the soils. Not all soils are good for pond building. Clay is a must. Avoid a leaky pond by understanding the best soil types for compaction in an earthen levee or an excavated pond. Often times, soil in a valley was deposited there over many, many years. That means a mixture of soil types, mostly those that like to move. Make sure your soils will work for the project. Dig test holes and evaluate. That’s how the site fits the pond. 

Another big mistake people make is to assume the contractor you choose can read your soils and then know how to separate those soils and build a proper structure and stay within your budget. Ah, budget. That’s another mistake. Until you have thoroughly evaluated the site, determined watershed size, soil types and designed a workable plan, there’s no way to estimate how much dirt must be moved in order to build a dam or excavate your new pond. Estimates come from knowing how much dirt needs to be moved and how far it must be moved. Two key things here…know the volume of dirt that must be moved to estimate the cost and choose the best contractor for the job, not necessarily the cheapest. Best is better than cheap. 

“Choose the best contractor, one who has the right equipment, knowledge, and experience. “

Okay, you’ve pushed past the watershed, figured out there’s enough clay to do what you want and selected the best contractor. You’ve figured out how many cubic yards of dirt must be moved around to do what you want to do and a written estimate is lying on your desk and weighing in your mind. 

What are other common mistakes? 

Don’t assume the estimate is accurate. Assume otherwise or you are likely to be disappointed. Not one project is totally predictable. Not one. When that big silver blade begins to move the earth, surprises await. There may not be enough clay after all…or there may need to be a deeper core trench to build the foundation for your dam, or there may be an old Model-T buried six feet deep in mucky silt from yesteryear’s filled-in creek. Assume the estimate is under-estimated. A good rule of thumb is to look at your estimate, add 25% and hold on. Prepare for surprises. 

Once past dam building or excavating the hole, remember you are building a pond…not just a dam. The dam has a job. Its job is to impound and then release excess water during heavy rains. That’s what it does. It’s a structure, a device with a purpose.  

Inside, behind that dam, is a living, breathing entity that will take on a brand new life. Be sure the inside of your new pond has the best habitat…not too much and not too little. That habitat is based on your goals. If you want a bass lake, design habitat for bass and its food chain. If you want a duck lake, make sure there is shallow water to grow aquatic plants. If you don’t want to be dealing with runaway aquatic vegetation, make sure the shoreline all the way around the periphery gets to deep water pretty fast, at least a 3 to 1 slope into water five feet deep or deeper. 

Know preferred habitat and build it before the pond fills with water. 

While all this percolates in your brain, be thinking of amenities…before the earthmover shows up. Want a dock, maybe a boat ramp? Any swimmers in the group? You may want a beach and a zip line. Is ice fishing part of your life? Set it up in the beginning, not as an afterthought. Think of these things during the planning stage. 

Okay, you get the point. The biggest mistakes people make are:  Failing to plan. Not knowing the watershed. Not understanding the importance of “good” soils. Not hiring the ‘best’ contractor for that specific job. Assuming the estimate is correct (hooray if it is). Understanding a living pond…behind the dam. Forgetting about the amenities. 

Any more? 

Once you build it, you aren’t finished. A pond is ongoing, living, changing, evolving. If you stock it with fish, prepare to manage the fishery. If you build a beach, prepare to weed it. There will be maintenance to keep a pond pristine and acting like the one you are dreaming about. That’s part of the fun of having a pond. 

So, you’ve done it…all the homework, all the planning…and now you look forward to those butterfly spring days when you can head to the dock, dip a cane pole line in the water with a hunk of nightcrawler two feet under a red and white bobber and wait for that telltale plunge from a giant sparkling sunfish accepting your offer. 

One last mistake…don’t forget your favorite beverage and a camera. 

Because, when you make the trek to pond’s edge, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the fruit of your planning and effort rather than the somber feel as other people mentally kick themselves for the mistakes they made…and you didn’t. 

Now all you have to keep your eye on is that bobber. 

Reprinted courtesy of Pond Boss magazine and author, Bob Lusk. For more information, www.pondboss.com or boblusk@outlook.com. 

As we are all aware, pond management is not always as simple as we’d like it to be, but it’s the complexities and problems that make the challenge of pond management so fulfilling. There are certainly management aspects with which we could be more familiar to help us gain more answers than questions. In this segment of Pond Boss we’re going to cover basics of water quality, and in this first installment, the focus is on your pond’s pH. We’ve all heard of it, but what do we actually need to know? Turns out, pH is more than just a two letter abbreviation for anti-itch cream. It actually tells you a lot about the pond you manage.

What is it?

Well, simply put, pH is a measurement of how acidic or basic your pond water is. The scale runs from 0, being the most acidic, to 14 being the most basic, while 7 is the pH of pure water. To get a feel for what falls on either end of the spectrum, think of acidic lemons on the low end (about a 2) of the scale and baking soda on the basic side with a pH of about 12.

An important thing to remember when measuring pH, which we’ll talk about how to do later, is that each number represents a 10-fold change. So, a hot cup of black coffee on a brisk autumn morning with a pH of 5 is ten times more basic than an ice cold beer on a Friday afternoon with a pH of 4. So, that begs the question: what does that have to do with my pond?

Why is it important?

pH is one of those things that has more influence on your pond’s ecosystem than you think. In one sense, you can think of it as a measure of how ideal your pond’s water is for your fish to thrive. If your pond is too acidic or too basic, it simply doesn’t make for an environment in which your fish want to do things like eat or reproduce. In terms of our own bodies, taking a shower in water with a pH similar to vinegar (3) or anywhere near ammonia (11.5) wouldn’t be too comfortable and chances are we’d shut the water off right quick. The same goes for your crappie hole or your monster bass pond—if the pH falls outside their acceptable range, life isn’t so good for the fish or the thousands of aquatic organisms that call it home-sweet-home. pH is also influential in determining the availability of certain nutrients and heavy metals. Keep in mind though, pH can be a very temporary water quality parameter and can change constantly, so testing a water sample last week may not tell you squat about your current water pH. Now that we know what it is and why it matters, what in the world determines pH?

What determines pH in a pond?

Your pond is unique, that we know. Your soil, your rainfall, your depth and slope and the land around it—you take pride in it. All these things are instrumental in determining the pH of your pond. Your dirt or bedrock probably plays the biggest role. Georgia red clay, for example, is going to be more acidic (have a lower pH) than pond dug out of a limestone quarry and your pond’s water will show it.

Algae growth also plays a part. See, algae are big contributors to the health of your pond in that they use up carbon dioxide (CO₂) and give back oxygen- both sides of that ball benefit your fish. But, (and this is a big one), at nighttime the script gets flipped and algae are programmed to do just the opposite of what they do during the day. At night, they use up oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide dissolved in water forms a mild acid and it just so happens that as carbon dioxide goes up, pH goes down. Then, as the sun rises, plants and algae begin photosynthesis, thereby consuming CO₂ and causing the pH to rise, or become more basic, as the day goes on. *Algae blooms exaggerate pH fluctuations.* As we discussed earlier, like all things, pH is best in moderation or right in the middle of the scale. However, pH isn’t just free to swing back and forth like a kid at recess without some policing and that’s where alkalinity comes in.

–

How does alkalinity factor in?

Alkalinity is the measure of how well your pond can prevent pH swings. Water that does a good job of this is termed alkaline and usually contains calcium carbonates…lime. Your pond’s alkalinity is in charge of preventing your pH from wildly changing or fluctuating—the higher your alkalinity, the lower the deviation from your pond’s normal pH can occur. In order for your pond to do this, you’ll need an alkalinity between 50 and 250 parts per million (ppm). A quick story that’ll help drive the point home goes on about a Midwestern pond manager who applied rotenone in a 10-acre lake with very low alkalinity. Its pH was never stable and the fish were so unproductive that he was able to fit the entire lake’s fishery in a 5 gallon bucket! Ever heard that the best offense is a good defense? Well, in this case, that good defense is a strong alkalinity!

Can I change my alkalinity?

You have control over your alkalinity as well. If you do get a low reading, then you’ll want to increase it. Ponds with low alkalinity are susceptible to pH swings that can and will be detrimental to your fish. Fish, crustaceans and most aquatic organisms need a certain amount of calcium in the water they swim in. In fact, it’s the only way small fish fry can grow their internal skeletons. Just like you drink milk or take Centrum silver, aquatic organisms and fish absorb it through their skin and exoskeletons. You may have heard of a fellow pondmeister ‘liming’ his pond and wondered why the heck he did it. Well, liming is the single most effective and affordable way to up the calcium in your pond. Be sure you choose calcium carbonate, not the other forms of calcium.

Where do I want my pH?

Now that we know where our alkalinity needs to be and how to get it there, what level should our pH be? Well, as mentioned earlier, pH levels which occur on either end of the scale can be dangerous, so we want to be somewhere in the middle- between 6.5 and 8.

How do I test my pH?

Now it’s time to head out to the pond (I know I won’t have to twist your arm here), but you’ll need a few things before you go. To test the pH of your pond there are two different angles to choose—electronic pH meters or pH strips.

Litmus tests, or pH strips, are the simplest, but the least accurate, way to test. It involves dropping a bit of your pond’s water on a prepared strip of paper—it changes color and you match it to the chart. That’s your pH. The more accurate, re-usable, and also more expensive, is the pH meter. It’s really just a pen you stick in the water and, bam, it reads out on a digital screen. Keep in mind these gadgets do require occasional calibration and the actual probe on the end must be kept moist.

*Alkalinity testing can be done using simple color changing strips or sophisticated water quality meters known as photometers- for the everyday pond manager the strips do the trick.

Knowing is half the battle

There’s no better way to learn about yet another aspect of pond management than to watch your own pond crash and burn with a fish kill. We’ve all heard of it, most of us have experienced it and none of us would wish it on anybody, even our worst enemies. It’s one of the hardest times for a pond manager to get through. After years of feed, TLC, and, of course, investing money, it is a devastating sight to stand by helpless as your fish roll right in front of you.

Most times the scapegoat is low oxygen, but what a lot of owners don’t often think about is how their pH might have led to the fish kill. This is especially the case after a heavy rainfall that mixes toxic gases from deep within the pond and pushes the pH back and forth. Often, low oxygen is part of the problem, but the actual problem can be a two-pronged attack on your fish from both swinging pH and low oxygen.

We, as pond managers, need as much intellectual ammo as possible to help our ponds reach their greatest potential. So, check your pH every once in a while and get a handle on your alkalinity- your fish will thank you!

Reprinted courtesy of Pond Boss magazine. For more information, www.pondboss.com or boblusk@outlook.com. featured image from greg grimes

Phosphorus is a nutrient required for life by all the organisms in and around your pond or lake. In most freshwater environments, phosphorus is the limiting nutrient, which means it’s usually the nutrient in shortest supply. But, in other parts of the country, phosphorus can be over-abundant. It’s this keystone-like characteristic that makes phosphorus so influential in your pond and so important in pond management. Fertilizer treatments in ponds with low P can triple the number of fish and one pound of phosphorus is enough to produce up to 500 pounds of algae. Whether you want a gin-clear swimming pond or a monster bass honey hole, phosphorus plays an important role in your pond.

In a clear pond with low productivity (oligotrophic), phosphorus levels would typically be under 10 parts per billion (ppb). A pond with high productivity (eutrophic) will likely have about 96 ppb (Lory). When it comes to phosphorus the old saying “a little goes a long way” holds true. Want to turn that swimming hole into a fishing hole? It only takes about one-third of a pound, or about a shot glass full, of soluble reactive phosphorus per acre-foot of water (324,522 gallons) (Aquatic Eco-Systems) to raise the levels of P in your pond to eutrophic.

To help wrap your head around parts per billion (ppb), think of it in terms of steps. On an average day you probably take about 6,000 to 7,000 steps (About.com Walking). Now, try to imagine taking a billion steps…take a moment to wipe the sweat off your brow, but don’t look down…you could be on the moon! So, whenever you hear talk about ppb, consider that just one of those steps on your trip to the moon is one part per billion…not a whole heck of a lot.

≈ .3 lbs of phosphorus

How did all this P get in the pond?

Got This One in the Bag

Next time you see your neighbor out pushing the fertilizer spreader, think about this: fertilizers come in a variety of nutrient combinations. The three major nutrients present in fertilizers are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). So, when you’re picking out a terrestrial fertilizer and it says 10-10-10 on the bag, what does this mean? This tells you the concentrations in which the nutrients are present. A 55-pound bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer is 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. This means it contains 5.5 pounds of each ingredient and enough phosphorus to raise levels in a 4-acre pond, 4 feet deep to a eutrophic status.

5 lbs of Phosphorus ≈ 55-lb bag of fertilizer

When It Rains, It Pours.

But what about runoff? As rain flows over the ground and into your pond, it brings with it nutrients from things like fertilizers and animal waste. In one urban landscape, runoff contained 0.3 pounds of phosphorus per acre per year (Graves; Neal C).

0.3 lbs of Phosphorus ≈ lots of lbs phosphorus per acre per year. I’ll let you do that math!

The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg (Sort Of)

Our ponds are home to many organisms and in some cases this includes waterfowl like ducks and geese. Did you know, the average goose dropping is 1.3% phosphorus and weighs approximately 1.2 grams (Lake Access)? Geese poop as many as 92 times a day—that’s about one-third of a cup (Lake Access)!That’s about 1.4 grams of phosphorus a day or about .85 pounds of phosphorus per year, per goose. One goose produces enough phosphorus to make one million gallons of water have eutrophic levels. Now, think about this…someone had to follow a goose and watch it poop for a whole day to find that out. Aren’t you glad you don’t have that job?

.85 lbs of phosphorus ≈ 59.86 lbs goose poop per year

Make Like a Tree… and Leaf

The average mature oak tree will shed about 60 pounds of leaves over the course of a year. That doesn’t seem like much until you realize that an average oak leaf weighs about 1.3 grams (a little less than a paperclip). Those 60 pounds of leaves can equate to about 1.5 pounds of phosphorus per year (Cowen). How many trees do you have over your pond?

1.5 lbs of phosphorus ≈ 60 lbs leaves

Feeding Frenzy

Many fish foods boast phosphorus levels less than 1.3% (Yamato Green). Average phosphorus levels in fish foods are 0.6% to 1% (Hagen…For Pets; Zeigler). At these percentiles, a 55-pound bag of fish food contains 0.3 to .6 pounds of phosphorus. How many bags of feed do you use in a year’s time. The good news? Most of that fish food becomes fish flesh, meaning the majority of phosphorus becomes fish.

0.5 lbs of phosphorus ≈ 55-lb bag of fish feed

The Many Faces of Phosphorus

Shiftier than a Tadpole in a Time Machine

We have discussed a few of the ways that phosphorus enters your lake, but where does all that phosphorus go? Phosphorus can exist in many different forms in your pond or lake. This is where it gets interesting. Even though phosphorus is in your water, it’s important to remember that it’s not all soluble reactive (ready to be used or absorbed). The phosphorus in your water can actually shift into different forms. Fish and plants in your pond actually need phosphorus (like all living things) and absorb it into their systems for growth and everyday living. So when we say that phosphorus is “shifty” or that it “shifts” in the water column, this is what we mean. Phosphorus has many faces.

A Fine Kettle of Fish

Fish are huge consumers of phosphorus. On average, fish are about 2% phosphorus or, to make it easy, there are about 2 pounds of phosphorus per 100 pounds of fish (Walker). If 1 pound of phosphorus in the form of fish food is introduced into the water .15 to .3 pounds (15%-30%) will be absorbed by the fish (Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations).

2 lbs of phosphorus ≈ 100 lbs of fish

Growing Like a Weed

Consider the plants that live in your pond. Two common ones you may have seen before are Eurasian water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) and Curly leaf pond weed (Potamogeton crispus L.). Eurasian water milfoil contains .21 pounds of phosphorus per every 100 pounds of plant. By the same token, curly leaf pond weed holds about .23 pounds of phosphorus per 100 pounds of vegetation. (Madsen)

.23 lbs of phosphorus ≈ 100 lbs curly leaf pond weed

Here is an interesting fact about phosphorus and water hyacinths. A case study done at the University of Florida showed when phosphorus levels in water are increased, water hyacinth plants significantly increase the amount of phosphorus they absorb from the water. Not only that, but they increased in number as well (Haller). Isn’t it amazing how in some cases ponds and the organisms within them can adapt to maintain favorable conditions?

Pound for Pound

Now say this five times fast: For every pound of phosphorus present in your pond, 500 pounds of algae is produced!

1 lb. phosphorus ≈ 500 lbs algae

To P or not To P?

That is the real question. As you now know, phosphorus enters your pond on the sly through fish and fish food, plants and fertilizers, runoff, rain, and even geese. Whether you need a pond high in productivity or prefer a pond that’s clear, it’s important to understand that phosphorus is the key to management in most scenarios. Knowing your phosphorus levels and understanding how influential it can be is essential to effective lake management.

Reprinted courtesy of Pond Boss magazine. For more information, www.pondboss.com or boblusk@outlook.com.

Works Cited

A, Graves Gregory. “Estimation of contribution of total phosphorus from selected landuses to observe concentrations in tributaries to a coastal lagoon: Indian River Lagoon, Florida USA.” Proceedings of National Stormwater Association 2002 Conference. Naples, Florida, 2002. 1-15.

Cowen, William F. and G. Fred Lee. “Leaves as Source of Phosphorus.” Water Chemistry Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (1973): 854.

Food and Aagriculture Organization of The United Nations . n.d. http://www.fao.org/. 12 March 2012.

Hagen…For Pets . n.d. http://www.hagen.com/uk/aquatic/nutrafinmax/lowphos.cfm. 6 March 2012.

Haller, William T and D.L. Sutton. “Effect of PH and High Phosphorus Concentrations on Growth of Waterhyacinth.” Florida Agr. Exp. Sta. (n.d.): 4804: 59-61.

Kotoski, James E. “Black Earth Creek & Limnology Minifacts & Analysis.” Spring Harbor Environmental Magent Middle School, 1997.

Lory, John A. “Agricultural Phosphorus and Water Quality.” MU Guide (n.d.): G9181:1-4. http://extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/agguides/soils/g09181.pdf. 12 March 2012.

Madsen, John D. “Predicting Invasion Success of Eurasian Watermilfoil.” Journal of Aquatic Plant Management (1998): 36:29-32.

Neal C, Reynolds B, Neal M, Hughes S, Wickham H, Hill L, Rowland P, Pugh B. “Soluable reactive phosphorus levels in rainfall, cloud water, throughfall, stemflow, soil waters, stream waters and ground waters for the Upper River Severn area, Plynlimon, mid Wales.” Sci Total Environ. (2003): Oct 1; 314-316:99-120.

Walker, David. St. Johns River Water Management District . 2002. http://www.sjrwmd.com/lakeapopka/. 6 March 2012.

Yamato Green. n.d. http://www.yamatogreen.com/phosphorus.htm. 7 March 2012.

Zeigler. n.d. http://www.zeiglerfeed.com/html/. 7 March 2012.

The new land created is as natural and common as anything that goes on anywhere on the planet. This phenomenon happens every time it rains in every stream and river. Just ask New Orleans. 

The business of removing this material is a large operation in some of the major navigable waterways and bays of this nation. 

Over the last decade there has been a construction project in China that has dammed up three rivers. It is considered one of the biggest dams ever built. One of the concerns keeping engineers busy was how to deal with soils carried into the new lake, silting the bottom, and decreasing volume of the reservoir. So, the situation of a lake filling with silt is not new and is an ongoing concern for the largest lake on the planet, as well as the small ponds on our property. 

Growing up working in the golf course construction business as a youngster drilled into me the importance of cleaning out of the ponds. That practice is a constant exercise; it must be done to keep the place looking good, and in many cases, to keep the pond volume where managers want it. The actual work has not changed much since I saw the first dump truck full of muck and mud pour out on the ground those many years ago.   

So, you have an old, heavily silted pond? You remember the vibrant pond of your youth, loaded with fish, and those fun times when you and your buddies caught fish, swam, and had a good time? Now, fast-forward a few decades and that same pond seems much smaller (which it is) and overgrown with cattails, buttonbush, and underwater greenery to the point it looks stagnant. 

Want to fix it? 

Here is the short story. Drain the water (sometimes), move the gooey, pudding-like material to a place it will not flow back into the pond, and do any other shaping work that needs to be done when the water is gone. Get the mud smoothed and graded, then plant some grass, and pray for rain. 

That sounds easy, doesn’t it?  

Really it is, as long as you have the right equipment and a good plan with a budget that is impossible to pin down. Heavy on the phrase, “Impossible to pin down”. 

I know, lots of work done on a piece of land, and especially around your pond can be done by anybody that wants to be outdoors and have a little fun. Really most of the readers are the kind of people that enjoy doing projects.  

Pond renovation is not one of these projects. Experience is needed along with specialized equipment that most people do not have. Time can also be a factor. Unless there is some way to keep the rain out of the way, the project is usually done at a pace that most people do not have. A weekender that needs to be somewhere making a living cannot dedicate the time needed to get this work done.  

“Bulldozers may push muck to a trackhoe, which picks it up and tosses it over the dam.”

Mike Otto

This process starts by gathering of as much information as possible, and then making decisions. Some of the decisions are made in the moment, surrounded by stinky muck, while others take some thought and planning. 

 A trip around the shoreline is a good place to start. It will tell where the water is coming in and shows the beginning of the work that needs to be done. The first thing to look out for is shallow water, cattails, waterlilies, and willow trees. They are usually the first to move in. They come with the dirt and are Mother Nature’s tools to change water into dirt. 

Wherever possible measure the depth of the water and compare it to the original depth. In yesterday’s world, paddling a boat out, with a piece of rebar or half-inch PVC pipe shoved through silt, down to hard soils on the pond bottom gave us an idea of silt volume and location. Today, sonar units quantify much faster and more accurately. This will tell you how much material has been deposited across the entire pond and needs to be removed.  

This information is valuable, before the real work begins. The problem is it may not be as easy as it sounds to determine the exact amount of the material. A case in point: A good friend, Paul Cannon and his wife, live out in the country close to a major North Texas city. Their first place was a beautiful home in a small country estates-type setting with a small pond that did not hold water at all. It had the watershed drainage but not the material, although it did grow great grass and healthy trees. A move was made to another location with an existing pond. From past experience they presumed it was easier to build a new house than it was to get an old pond to hold water. The new place is as great as the old place, but a little farther out in the country without a paved road.  

The pond had been tested and proved good for holding water. Even though it may not be full all the time, it had good possibilities.   Bulldozers may push muck to a trackhoe, which picks it up and tosses it over the dam. 

“Bulldozers may push muck to a trackhoe, which picks it up and tosses it over the dam.”

Mike Otto

 The land was fenced, a new home was built, and then it was time to work on the pond. Their wet spot sits in a beautiful location close to the back porch and in the middle of a stand of healthy oak trees. At first glance Paul knew it was not very deep. It appeared to be at least 30 years old, based on map history. We got in his boat with a pipe and started the fact-finding process all around the edge and out to the middle. There was only about a foot or two of washed in mud according to the probe. Maybe we should have used one of those new-fangled sonar units. 

Water was drained, machines moved in, and the work began. Two days later seven feet of mud was removed. The initial exploration was not accurate. It was done by yesterday’s book but did not tell the whole story. Today the project is completed, but it grew after it got started. This is not out of the ordinary; as a matter of fact it seems to be the norm, even with some of the newest technology. 

The biggest question during planning this type of project is, “What is done with the mud when it is removed, and how is it handled?”  

Silty material is about 30 percent water, which makes it the consistency of catsup. It will not stay in a pile. It actually moves like cold, smelly lava. Once out in the open, subjected to sunlight and air, it starts to dewater quickly and stops moving after about 24 hours. But, it may take as long as a year for it to dry out enough to drive a vehicle across, but with sun and wind it will eventually turn back to dry dirt. Keep this in mind with silt: it must be pushed downhill. It is almost impossible to push mud uphill. It just will not work. It may be necessary to put the material in dump trucks and haul it away. Whatever the case, do not fight gravity when dealing with mud and muck.  

Often, a good location for mud is behind the dam, if there is room. If it can be stored behind the dam it will not run back into the pond. That is the first place to look. A dozer or loader can push the material downhill to the dam and a track hoe can lift it over the top, dump it, and gravity will pull it away where it can dry, and then be mixed with other soils and spread out. This technique is easy and done every day, if there is room. 

If there is no room behind the dam, look for a spot as close as possible to the work area. This is where dump trucks come into play. A trackhoe or loader will be needed to load trucks. It is important for trucks to be located where it is easy for them to come and go. It may look like a dog chasing a car for a little while as the dump trucks get started, but with a little time it will turn into the likes of a college marching band. 

Any place close to the clean out will work, provided the mud does not block the natural flow of water. A terrace may need to be built in order to get started and keep the mud where it belongs. Keep in mind that the cost of a project will depend on the time (and distance) it takes to move the mud—and how many times it must be moved. 

A small tractor with four-wheel drive and a loader can move a lot of material in a day. If you have one, and the conditions are right, get started. There are dozer guys everywhere that will be glad to give you a few pointers. 

Here are the main points to consider. If you have a pond that has lived its life and you want to resuscitate it, get your best estimate on volume of silt to be removed. Have a plan where to move the silt, and the best way to do it. Look at the costs. You may find it to be much more costly than building a brand new pond on another site on your property. But, if it’s economically feasible, and you have a good place to move the silt and can do it efficiently, then it could certainly be worth the effort. 

Besides, what’s it worth to bring back that pond of your childhood memories? 

Reprinted courtesy of Pond Boss magazine and author, Mike Otto. For more information, www.pondboss.com or boblusk@outlook.com.