goals for the plants are for cover/structure.
the pond is 8 acres. max depth is 12 feet. average depth is 6+/-? when the pond was built there is a distinct hump in the middle that averages 4 feet deep. that is the area that is dry now and also the area that holds the most mussels. with the water clarity like it is, i cant see mussels in the areas that were the deepest when water is at full pool. My goal is to establish a bloom. i wish i knew as much as all of you about what the heck i mean by that...but from the reading i have done and consult with a patient of mine who happens to be a fisheries biolgist, he thinks the mussels are the problem in that they filter the water and no amount of fertilizer or lime will help unless we eradicate the mussels. the water clarity is so clear there is rarely a time of year that i cant see the bottom in 8ft of water...
i would like to find an indigenous (sp?) species of plant from another pond nearby. my thoughts are to "harvest" a known plant and let it establish in my pond on the areas that are muddy now and bring the water back up. I was told the mussels that are exposed would die after a couple of weeks and we are nearing that timeline. I would hope to find an aquatic that will do well in this shallow(er) spot that might not want to grow in the adjacent deep(er) water.
i would also like to consider restocking some catfish that can live in harmony with my LMB, bluegill, and shellcrackers and still eat some mussels.
thanks for the help. I know its a work-in-progress...
