Pond Problems and Solutions: Applying Lake Management Techniques to Ponds 267

entire sh population and start over. Rotenone is a last-

resort option.
Another limiting factor for aquatic plant growth in
constructed ponds may be the lack of an aquatic plant
seedbank to propagate native plants. In this case, you can
transplant submerged and emergent plants. If you buy
aquatic plants for your pond, buy only native plants com-
mon to the area.

7.5.2 TECHNIQUES TO DECREASE NUISANCE

Removing exotic or nuisance aquatic plant growth in ponds
AQUATIC PLANTS employs many of the same techniques as used in lakes. This
curlyleaf pondweed patch was removed using a hand-thrown
cutter and a boat-towed cutter.

7.6 FISH TOPICS

7.6.1 CONDUCTING YOUR OWN FISH SURVEYS

Exotic plants grow in ponds as well as lakes. Curlyleaf pond-

weed (Potamogeton crispus) is an exotic plant (shown above)
and, like Eurasian watermilfoil and hydrilla, can cause nuisance
conditions.

Aquatic plants are the lungs of a pond. Because motor

boating is not a major recreational activity, pond users will What is that sh in the bottom of the net? It is helpful and fun
accept more robust aquatic plant growth in a pond com- to nd out what kind of sh you have in your pond. You can
pared to a lake. This plant growth helps to maintain clear sample sh either by angling or with seines or trapnets. In
water conditions, unless nutrients from the watershed general, sh from ponds are edible. (From Cross Lake Associa-
overwhelm the plants capacity to buffer excessive phos- tion, Minnesota.)
phorus concentrations.
If you need to remove some plants for recreational
use of the pond or for access to shing areas, remove the Fish surveys are typically conducted for recreational lakes
minimum amount necessary. A variety of options are by state conservation agencies. State sh surveys for ponds
described in Chapter 3. are rare and sometimes the sh community is a mystery.
268 Lake & Pond Management Guidebook

However, you can get some insight into the sh compo-

sition of the pond by conducting your own sh survey Thats History
based on angling results as shown in Table 7.4, or on
seining results, as shown in Table 7.5.

7.6.2 HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS

Sometimes, a lack of sh habitat in ponds will limit sh
populations. For ponds, woody debris provides good sh
habitat. Other habitat options are described in Chapter 4.

Thats History

SPAWNING AND FOOD PRODUCING DEVICES

SLAB TYPES

SLAB RETREAT
Materials : slabs 6 to 12 inches
21/2 ft. wire No. 9 gauge
stakes 4"diam. 50"long
et
12 fe
8 to
An early test of the effectiveness of introduced brush. In (A) the
piled brush is seen in place encircled by a large minnow scene.
In (B) all the brush has been removed and piled on shore, the
6
to
12 scene remaining in place. In (C) are shown the 6491 sh, mostly
fee
t young and half grown game sh. (Hubbs and Eschmeyer, 1937.)
SLAB RAFT
Materials :
Logs 6 to 10 inches
slabs 4 to 12 inches
7.6.3 STOCKING FISH
ROCK TYPES
water line

11/2 to 3 DOMINO
Feet

water line

11/2 to 6
Feet
TILE BED

Construction details for devices designed to increase sh life

in articial lakes. (From Hubbs, C.L. and Eschmeyer, R.W., Need more sh for your pond? Sometimes, state agencies can
The Improvement of Lakes for Fishing, Bulletin of the Institute supply the sh, especially when there is good public access.
for Fisheries Research (Michigan Department of Conserva- However, private hatcheries also supply sh. They often give
tion), No. 2, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1937.) stocking recommendations as well.
Pond Problems and Solutions: Applying Lake Management Techniques to Ponds 269

TABLE 7.4
Fish Surveys Based on Angling Results
Fish Caught Condition of Fish Population Recommended Management

Bluegills 6 inches and larger; Desirable sh population Have fun

largemouth bass 12 pounds, but
smaller and larger sizes caught also
Bluegills 35 inches; bass are scarce; Bluegills stunted Fish heavily for bluegills and remove; create bass
bass present larger than 2 pounds cruising lanes through vegetation; return all bass; stock
(15 inches) bass that are 1 pound or bigger, 5 to 10 per acre
Bluegills 7 inches or longer (3 per Good bluegill population; big bass are lacking Create habitat for forage sh to get bass bulked up
pound); bass are less than 1 pound
(12 inches) and are thin
Small crappies; numerous black Undesirable sh population; possible partial Drain pond and restock when it lls or seine out all sh
bullheads and carp winterkill in the past and start over; sh toxicant is the last resort
No sh are caught; minnows are Either big sh have been killed due to oxygen Determine why sh are not present: winter or summer
observed depletion or you are not using the correct bait sh kills? Aeration is probably needed; then stock

TABLE 7.5
Fish Survey Based on Seining Results
Seining Results Condition of Fish Population Recommended Management

No young bass present; many recently Desirable population but bass Harvest more bass to keep them from becoming
hatched bluegill; no or few 3- to 5-inch crowded overcrowded
bluegill
No young bass present; no recently Undesirable population with bluegills Use traps or seines to remove excess numbers of 3- to
hatched bluegill; many 3- to 5-inch stunted 5-inch bluegill; correct habitat problems such as excess
bluegill clay turbidity or abundant vegetation; create bass
cruising lanes through vegetation;. if possible, stock up
to 25 bass (6 to 8 inches in length) per surface acre
No young bass present; no recently Undesirable population with bluegill Remove the excess number of bluegills by trapping and
hatched bluegill; many 3- to 5-inch overcrowded; very few bass in pond seining; this provides a better chance for the bass and
bluegill; many tadpoles and/or minnow fry survival the following spring; stock 50 bass (6 to
and/or craysh 8 inches in length) per acre
No young bass present; no recent hatch Undesirable population with crowding If undesirable sh are present, remove by draining the
of bluegill; few 3- to 5-inch bluegill due to other sh competing with pond or chemically treating the water with a sh toxicant;
bluegill restock as a new pond
No young bass present; few 3- to 5-inch Undesirable sh population, with Green sunsh numbers can be reduced by intensive
bluegill; no recent hatch of bluegill; stunted green sunsh dominating seining; if their population is extremely large, the pond
many 3- to 5-inch green sunsh should be drained or treated with a sh toxicant and
restocked as a new pond
Young bass present; many recently Desirable sh population Big sh should be present; no management needed at
hatched bluegill; no 3- to 5-inch bluegill this time
Young bass present; no recent hatch of Undesirable population, with bluegill Stock the pond with bluegill at the rate of 200 adults
bluegill; no 3- to 5-inch bluegill absent (4 to 6 inches in length) per acre of water
Young bass present; no recent hatch Temporary desirable population, but If the competitive species of sh are undesirable, they
of bluegill; few 3- to 5-inch bluegill bluegill may have competition can be removed by draining or chemical treatment, or
reduced in numbers by shing, trapping, or seining
No game species present; few to Undesirable sh population Remove the undesirable sh by draining and/or by
many carp, suckers, bullheads, shad, or treatment with a sh toxicant; restock with suitable sh
other undesirable species
No sh present Total shkill may have occurred Determine why sh are not present; aeration is probably
needed; then restock

Note: Data in both tables (7.4 and 7.5) based on criteria developed by Dr. H.S. Swingle of Auburn University, Alabama. Seining should be
conducted in late June or July with a minnow seine 15 to 20 feet long and 4 to 6 feet deep.
270 Lake & Pond Management Guidebook

Bass and bluegill combinations are popular for ponds, espe-

cially in the South. Bass and minnow combinations are suit-
able for northern ponds and, in some cases, trout will work.
Crappies are not recommended for ponds because they
have a tendency to take over and become stunted. Also,
northern pike and muskies are not recommended for ponds
due to the lack of cool water and lack of a forage base.
You may want to try bass and minnow combinations
in ponds of less than half an acre. Stock minnows at 500
adult minnows per acre; stock bass at 100 ngerlings per
acre, 25 to 50 yearlings (6 to 10 inches) per acre or 6 to
8 adults (12+ inches) per acre.
The stocking recommendations for bluegills are sev-
eral breeding pairs per acre or around 300 ngerlings per
acre. Stock channel catsh at 40 to 100 ngerlings per Make sure your solar aerator has enough power to keep a hole
acre. For trout ponds, rainbow or brook trout are preferred open. This hole has frozen over. Conventional aeration systems
over brown trout. Stock trout ngerlings at 200 per acre will also work but you need an electrical source.
in the fall, or up to 400 per acre in spring.
Fish stocking is not recommended for ponds that fre-
Thats History quently winterkill and where winter aeration is not
installed, because it is not the best management technique
Using ponds to raise sh goes back at least to 2600 to introduce sh that will die on an annual basis.
B.C. in China. Chinese sh farmers placed mats in Fish diseases are common in crowded ponds. A com-
streams and ponds for sh to spawn on and then mon pond disease is Columneris, a bacterial infection that
collected the eggs from the mats. is responsible for partial spring die-offs. It is difcult to
control the bacteria. Maintaining a balanced sh popula-
Smith, 1979 tion is the best hedge against serious bacterial sh infec-
tions in a pond.

7.6.4 KEEPING FISH THRIVING 7.6.5 REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNWANTED FISH
In states where ponds develop ice cover, you may need to You can remove stunted sh from ponds by concentrating
employ winter aeration. As a rule of thumb, 25% of the shing pressure on a specic species or by seining. In
lake basin should be 8 feet or deeper in central Illinois, general, removing bullheads or carp requires extra effort.
12 feet or deeper in the southern Wisconsin, and 15 feet Use trapnets in addition to intense shing and seining.
or deeper in the northern range. Winter aeration can be Seining will be difcult if a lot of coarse, woody debris
used to prevent winterkill in shallow ponds, and solar- or lush vegetation is present.
powered aerators are an option in areas without electricity.

Winter aeration helps keep sh alive during the winter in northern Concentrated shing pressure may have an impact on removing
states. Solar-powered aerators are handy in settings that do not unwanted sh, but a trapnet, also called a fyke net, is handy for
have a nearby power source. The solar panel charges a battery, selectively removing sh from a pond. Check with state agencies
which then runs an air compressor that delivers air to the pond. to see if a permit is required.
Pond Problems and Solutions: Applying Lake Management Techniques to Ponds 271

Brown Troutgenerally not stocked in ponds.

Trapnets are live traps where desirable sh can be released back

into the pond and other sh can be removed.

Pond drawdown is sometimes also effective. Rotenone

will kill all sh in the pond, and is generally considered
a last resort. Muskieundesirable pond sh.

7.6.6 FISHING FOR FUN AND FOOD

As a rule of thumb, you should be able to harvest 10 to 20
pounds of bass per acre each year, and 40 to 80 pounds of
bluegill per acre per year. The low numbers are for northern
ponds and the higher numbers for southern ponds.
To maintain a well-represented bass population and
reduce the potential for stunted bluegills, catch-and-
release is recommended.
Fish from ponds should be safe to eat. Even pansh
from stormwater ponds do not have any more health advi- Northern Pikeundesirable pond sh.
sories than those from lakes. Examples of sh suitable, as
well as unsuitable, are shown next. (From William C.
Brown, except where noted. With permission.)

Rainbow Troutsuitable pond sh if water is cool and well Walleyeundesirable pond sh.
oxygenated.

Brook Troutsuitable pond sh if water is cool and well oxy- Yellow Perchmarginal pond sh, better suited for lakes.
genated.
272 Lake & Pond Management Guidebook

Largemouth Bassdesirable pond sh for nearly any geo-

graphic region in U.S.
Pumpkinseedacceptable pond sh.

Smallmouth Bassmarginal pond sh, better suited for lakes;

a poor control on sunsh compared to largemouth bass.

Redear Sunshdesirable pond sh, usually more common in

the south.

Black Crappieundesirable pond sh, better suited for lakes.

Green Sunshundesirable pond sh; eats young sh and com-

petes with bass.

White Crappieundesirable pond sh, tendency to overpopu-

late and become stunted.

Channel Catshsuitable pond sh.

Bluegilldesirable pond sh for nearly any climate in U.S. Flathead Catshnot a typical pond sh species.
Pond Problems and Solutions: Applying Lake Management Techniques to Ponds 273

Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)common minnow.

Yellow Bullheadacceptable pond sh.

Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)common minnow.

Black Bullheadundesirable pond sh.

Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales notatus)common minnow.

Spottail Shiner (Notropis hudsonius)common minnow.

Smallmouth Buffaloacceptable pond sh, usually not destruc- 7.7 SMALL-SCALE DREDGING
tive. (From Texas Chapter of American Fisheries Society.)
7.7.1 MECHANICAL DREDGING
To remove sediments from ponds, either a backhoe or a
backhoe mounted on a barge will often work. Cities com-
monly use these techniques for maintenance in stormwater
ponds, especially around culvert outfall areas. Sand is the
dominant sediment type by culvert outfalls. Silt and clay
particles settle out in deeper water.
A backhoe can be used to reach the sand buildup. Sand
by itself does not represent a nutrient problem, but it can
Common Carpundesirable pond sh. (From Texas Chapter of reduce the ood storage volume in a pond. Also, sand deltas
American Fisheries Society.) cover the ponds seedbank and reduce rooted plant growth.
It is usually cheaper to use mechanical dredging tech-
niques than hydraulic (pumping) techniques in ponds.
Dredging the pond deeper will not signicantly improve
water quality conditions in 4- to 8-foot shallow ponds. It
may help decrease rooted aquatic plants, but it is an expen-
sive plant management technique.

7.7.2 HYDRAULIC DREDGING

Removing sediments by pumping is expensive. In urban
areas, the problem is nding space for the dewatering site.
Grass Carpsometimes used in ponds for aquatic plant control.
(From Texas Chapter of American Fisheries Society.)
Hydraulic dredging projects in Chapter 5 describe several
techniques that would work for ponds.
274 Lake & Pond Management Guidebook

7.8 UNIQUE POND PROJECTS A water clarity (Secchi disk) reading of 18 inches (the
distance at which a white disk disappears from view)
7.8.1 FERTILIZING A POND indicates that a pond is sufciently fertile and producing
algae that may increase pounds of gamesh.
Be careful, however. Once a pond is fertilized and algae
Thats History
have become dominant with aquatic plants diminished, it
Commercial fertilizer has been used in the control will be difcult to return it to clear-water conditions.
of [several aquatic plant species]. Apply 100 pounds
of 684 and 10 pounds of sodium nitrate per acre... 7.8.2 CLEARING UP MUDDY WATER
the algae shades the weeds so that they become If excessive pond turbidity is caused by suspended sedi-
detached and oat in large decaying masses. ments or algae, then reducing turbidity will benet plant
growth, sh populations, and lake recreation.
Smith and Swingle, 1942 If algae are causing excessive turbidity, remedies are
discussed in Chapter 2. If suspended sediments are caus-
ing muddy water, reducing the visibility to 2 feet or less,
When the objective is to increase sh production and limit sh production and desirable plant growth are adversely
rooted aquatic plants, fertilizing the pond has been affected, as well as recreational activities such as shing
employed. It is a technique used for ponds, not lakes. and swimming.
Today, the emphasis in lake management involves reduc- To clarify muddy pond water, rst determine the type
ing fertilizer inputs. of sediment turbidity in your pond. Fill a quart glass jar
Most ponds are already sufciently fertile. But fertil- with water from the lake and let it set for a week. If most
izer might improve sh production in ponds with phos- of the sediment settles out after a week, then something
phorus concentrations below 0.05 parts per million. in the water is stirring up the sediments. Possible sources
By fertilizing ponds, you decrease water clarity but include sh, waves, storm inows, or even muskrats.
increase algae, the base of the lakes food chain. As the To prevent suspended sediments from being stirred
algae increases, so does the zooplankton, because algae up, use one or more of the following techniques:
is their food source. In turn, the number of small sh
increase, serving as forage for big sh. Reduce watershed sources of the sediment
The same nutrients that promote a bumper grass crop Build windbreaks of trees or bushes
or corn crop also stimulate algal growth in ponds. Basic Stabilize shorelines and streambanks
fertilizer nutrients include phosphorus, nitrogen, and potas- Establish vegetation in nearshore areas
sium. If you decide to add nutrients, fertilize a pond in Reduce the size of outboard motors allowed on
the spring after the water reaches 55F. Use an emergence the pond, or eliminate them
fertilizer, such as 882 (8% nitrogen, 8% phosphorus, Remove the roughsh
and 2% potassium), and apply it evenly at a rate of 50
pounds per acre. If the jar that you set aside is still cloudy after 2 weeks,
the sediment is probably clay, and it may not settle unless
you take action. It is tricky to remove clay-sized suspended
sediments from the water column. However, if they clump
together, they become heavy enough to settle. The chal-
lenge is to get the particles to aggregate. If particles have
an organic coating on their surface, this neutralizes elec-
trical charges, the particles may not aggregate, and the
clay-sized particles could take years to settle out.
One solution to this problem is to add something to
the water to make the clay particles clump together. Straw
and agricultural gypsum are two additives that have been
used successfully. A third additive is alum, which physi-
cally removes the clay.

7.8.2.1 Barley Straw

It is not precisely known why or how barley straw bales
Pond fertilizer formulations are available and ready to use. promote clay aggregation that results in clearer water.
Cabelas (Tel: 800-237-4444) is one source. Nevertheless, applying two bales of good straw for each
Pond Problems and Solutions: Applying Lake Management Techniques to Ponds 275

surface acre every 2 weeks usually clears the water. Green Geomembranes (tough, rubber-like sheets) can also
barley seems to work best. be used to seal the pond. Place the geomembrane on the
Apply no more than four bales each year. Break up bottom and cover it with 6 to 12 inches of sand to protect
the bales, repack the straw into mesh bags, and stake them it. Costs for installing geomembranes start at about $0.40
at the end of the pond. Barley straw also has been docu- per square foot.
mented to control nuisance blue-green algae problems.
Other types of vegetation do not work as well.
7.8.2.2 Gypsum

Calcium sulfate (gypsum) is available from lumberyards

or fertilizer dealers. It requires large doses and may take
a week or two to clear the water.
The gypsum dose is about 525 pounds for each acre-
foot. If turbidity remains after several weeks, dose again
at about one fourth the original strength, or 130 pounds
Geomembranes are one option for sealing a leaky pond bottom.
of gypsum per acre-foot. You may have to add a couple The geomembrane should be covered with 6 to 12 inches of sand.
of bags a year after that to maintain the clear water.
7.8.2.3 Alum Products In some cases, the pond may seal itself. After extended
dry periods, large cracks sometimes appear in the bottom
Aluminum sulfate (alum) will also remove turbidity and sediments. When the pond rells, some seepage will occur
is faster acting than gypsum. The water will be clear several initially because water will escape through the large cracks.
days after it is applied. However, after several months, the clay or peat will expand,
An alum dose is 50 pounds per acre-foot. Alum is the cracks will diminish in size, and the seepage will slow
available from Aquatic Eco-Systems (Tel: 877-347-4788). down.
You may have to add this product twice a year to maintain If a pond is losing 1/2 inch to 8 inches of water per
clear water. day, consider applying a sealer to a pond with water in it.
7.8.3 FIXING POND LEAKS The added material will ow to the cracks or holes and
plug them up. One example of a waterborne product is
As a rule of thumb, if a pond is losing water faster than ESS-13 added at 1 gallon for every 2000 gallons of water.
6 to 12 inches per month, the pond is a candidate for ESS-13 is a liquid polymer emulsion that has the consis-
bottom sealing. tency of heavy white vegetable oil. It can reduce the loss
To seal the bottom, one approach is to disk a dry pond rate by 60 to 90%. The drawback of this method is that
bottom to about 8 inches and mix in bentonite (1 pound to the sh should be removed prior to application. ESS-13
1 square foot) or clay (5 pounds to 1 square foot). Then is a product of Seepage Control, Inc. (Phoenix, AZ).
compact the mixture with compacting equipment. Estimates
for this work range from $1000 per acre for disking and REFERENCES
compacting, to more than $17,800 per acre ($0.40 per square
foot) for 6 to 12 inches of a bentonite and sand mixture. Dillard, J.G., Missouri Pond Handbook, Missouri Department
of Conservation, Jefferson City, 1989.
Henderson, N., Landscaping for Wildlife, Minnesota Department
of Natural Resources, St. Paul, 1997.
Lopinot, A.C., Pondsh and Fishing in Illinois, Fishery Bulletin
5, Illinois Department of Conservation, Division of
Fisheries, Springeld, IL, 1972.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Lake Management
Planning Guide, Special Publication 132, Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, 1982.
Schneider, J.A., A Fish Management Guide for Northern Prairie
Fish for Ponds, Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources, Division of Fish Wildlife, St. Paul, 1983.
Texas Chapter, American Fisheries Society, Stocking and Man-
agement Recommendations for Texas Farm Ponds.
Bentonite, a swelling clay, is mixed with soil and then compacted. Assessment and Corrective Management for Fish Pop-
This forms a bottom seal for a pond. (From Tourbier, J.T. and ulations in Small Impoundments, Special Publication 1,
Westmacott, R., Lakes and Ponds, 2nd ed., ULI, The Urban Land available from Texas Parks and Wildlife, Austin, TX,
Institute, Washington, D.C., 1992. With permission.) 1986.