All, I had a nice pond built almost 2 years ago now, July, 2016, and since the dam was completed we have had so little rain in our area that the future gem is still quite a ways from being full. I did go ahead and stock it last year, when it was about 1/2 full...which is about where it sits still, nearly a year later.

I fished it once a couple of weeks ago and readily caught sunfish and bass that are growing, but still a long ways from being "large". But they seemed healthy and feisty, so I took that as a positive.

My questions are...since my rain dances aren't working and early signs are that we are in for another dry summer...is there anything that I should/could do to assist the fish in the pond now? Should I be concerned that the pond will turn to a "dead sea", since it is nowhere near reaching the outflow tube?

Last spring should have filled it for sure, or the rain we have had in the last couple of months. We had a 3 day period that produced 6” in april. Are you sure its not leaking through the dam or bottom? What does the watershed consist of? Acres of shed vs full aurface acres of pond?

The only addition I can think of is aeration.

I’m not an expert, but I’ll throw in my $.02 worth. My pond isn’t too far south of yours, in NE Missouri and I share the same drought. Mine was built almost four years ago, but hasn’t been completely full for over a year. It’s down 3’ from full right now.
I overstocked fish three years ago, because I was planning on running a feeder, and an aerator. I’ve since scrapped the aerator plan, due to cost issues, and am not feeding heavily as I’ve got a very large population of GSH.
My fish are doing very well. Fat and happy. I haven’t lost but a handful of fish (that I know about, maybe they all sink).
My impression is, it takes a while (several years) to get to a point where there’s too many fish for your pond. I’m sure it’s all about water volume and total biomass, but my guess is you’ve got several years before you need to be concerned. BUT, lm NOT an expert.

Last spring, '17, was the only time it really filled in at all. I am in a zone that has been ridiculously dry the past 24 months...although we did get some rain last night! Yay!!

I am virtually certain that the pond is not leaking, all of the other established ponds around me are down 4'-6' for the past could of years. We are in a real drought zone in our immediate area.

If i could send some water your way i would! I know the constant flow through mine keeps o2 high and temps low in the summer

Your fish seem healthy? Water quality decent?

My one effort to catch any fish was about 2 weeks ago now and they seemed plenty healthy and vigorous that night. There was no sign of fish die off or stress that I could see either.

I was concerned about the potential for a pond that isn't full enough to ever "get rid of" any water via the run-off tube that things might get stale, etc, and lead to a problem. The water looks fine, but I haven't done any testing to know one way or the other.

Funny thing...when the pond was finished almost 2 years ago I then worked like a madman to get all my structures placed in it before it filled up on me. Now, 22 months later, there are still about 75% of the structures still out of the water! As it turns out...I had PLENTY of time to get those out there.

It is weird sometimes. I’ll watch on the radar as a big ugly storm front heads towards my place. Then, as if by Devine intervention, it will part and go north and south of my pond.. But not always. I’ve had it running out the overflow pipe 3 times in almost four years. I may start camping by the pond. If I’m in a tent, there’s a good chance it’ll be raining soon.

My neighbor, before my pond renovation, told me that pond had never run over as far as he knew (30 years). It has now run over six times since December 2015. It's amazing what a little watershed manipulation will do.

Here's hoping you guys get four inches of rain in about 24 hours or a little less. That's about what it takes to fill some ponds when they are very low.

Better yet, Jeff, sleep in the open on a cot with only mosquito netting. That should definitely bring rain. Plus, leave all your windows open on your vehicle.

Seemed like it rained every time I left a window down on my personal vehicle while at work, and had gone into the field in a company vehicle.

water well - I keep my pond water level with one - I have seen them go dry and lose all the fish so for me I want to insure that does not happen

I feel your pain!! I also built a pond in southern iowa 2yrs ago and im sitting half full with a lot of my structure still showing. . Kinda looks like I might be looking at that structure for another year!!

Was up at my pond yesterday. The SMB beds I made a few years ago are exposed now. Agh! They should be two or three feet below the surface.

I am sorry to hear that. ^^ But, yes, we are in the same boat. We have received two nice rains now in the last 5 days, although I am sure that will not be enough to fill it up, I am optimistic that I probably gained a foot or two.

One side benefit to the delayed fill...there are now government aerial photos showing a lot of my structure that has yet to flood. So I have a very accurate aerial of where the structure is. What county are you in? I am in the NE corner of Davis County.

Unless I missed it you never said how big the pond was. Does the water level keep dropping or is it constant at one point?

How's it doing this week? haha! As much as 3.5" in the last 24hrs, and 7" in the last 5 days.

The pond is currently about 1 surface acre, about 12' - 14' deep. When full, it will be about 2.7 surface acres, with a max depth of 27' - 29'. Let's just say that I was working with a deep valley!

The water level does not drop back to speak of, although last summer, when there was NO rain for about 80 days, I did lose about 3'. I have since gained that back. I am pretty confident though that it is not leaking...there has just been so little rain that it can't get filled up.

Now then, since I wrote this initial question, we have been fortunate to get multiple rains, although the big rainfall amounts have still been well north of us, we have had probably 3"-5" in the past 2-3 weeks. I have not been to the pond though yet to see how these rains have helped. Fingers crossed!

Some areas in our state have had significant flooding in the past month...our area, not so much, but at least we are getting something.

Mat - what county are you in? I am in the NE corner of Davis County, near Selma and Douds.