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Joined: Nov 2014
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So we have had this house and pond for 4 years now. I had no idea how much work a pond can be. Started of just skimming the algae. Kinda enjoyed that but could not keep up. Barley ball seemed to help that issue. Then the reeds and grasses started to take over the pond. I tried getting into the pond with fishing waiters on and got stuck in deep muck not even two steps into the pond. Thought I was gonna have to leave the waiters behind but I got out.... Now the water is low but apparently every one in the area is low. Surprising to me after such a wet summer? Leaves will be a permanent problem but I am think about getting the pond dredged. Problems with that are :
Not poking through the clay bottom (if that is how its constructed)
And not having access to the other side of the pond. Its not big so maybe a long back hoe could reach the whole thing.

The other thing I would like to fix and make more attractive is the pipe that aerates the pond by trickling in water from the stone spring. There are several (up to 5) other springs that feed the pond over the ground .

Another big problem that I have is the fact that the pond is all but impossible to mow around because of the rock and uneven ground and the tiny gullies that the springs create as they run into the pond.

There are about 30 Large mouth bass in the pond as well but can't really see them any more when the grasses are in fully . (died off in these current photos)

Suggestions welcome . I have no idea what Im doing in any regard. Not the fish nor the pond nor the springs. Which by the way are sulfur springs. When I rake the leaves out of the stone spring it smells if I dig too deep. Not an issue other wise. My area of PA was known as a sulfur Spring recreation and vacation spot a century ago.

So here are photos from the back porch.




Closer to the pond

The next day we had serious wind and rain and a lot of the leaves disappeared but I will still need to get in there with a rake.


The stone spring



The pipe that runs from the stone spring




Something has to be better then this . It only works half the time because it either gets clogged or it shifts and the water doesn't flow into the pipe

It does seem low but in the 4 years that we have been there the water was never up to the big pipe at the far end. The water flows out through a bunch of rocks just under that drainpipe


Here are views from the drainpipe side of the pond looking back toward the house.





We have a canoe that we use to use to pull the reeds and grasses from the boat. A few strokes with an oar and you are on the other side. so it is small. I was thinking though that if I fill in the rock bed drain with clay, then it would fill up the pond more to the drainpipe then the surface area of the pond would get bigger.... To much thinking not enough experience blush

How did people dredge ponds back in the days before backhoes and heavy equipment? I am all about DIY when possible . I see another thread here about a pump to suck out the muck but 2500 bucks is out of my price range at the moment. I'll look into that a little deeper. Where do you rent something like that?

Last edited by bsaschields; 11/18/14 12:26 PM.
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I would give it a complete overhaul.

The springs that are coming into the pond, are they entering from the top level of the pond? Do you know if any are coming in from under the water level? One reason to know this is for equipment needed to rework the pond: can something get into it, or does it all have to be done from the shoreline. Have you had anyone out for bids and seeking their thoughts?

For a pond that small, the leaves are going to kill you. I think some equipment could get around them for cleanup, but what's your thoughts on removing them?

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I had a guy who was recommended by my neighbor that was supposed to look at it but he never showed up. No phone and I took off work so I was a little upset but then I heard the guys wife was dealing with cancer. I'll have to find some one else to look at it.

Also on a low budget at the moment. Another neighbor was going to dredge it for 500 bucks but then left the area after a nasty divorce . Just my luck.

The springs that I know of are over the top . Dont know if there are any under the pond.

As far as leaves go . I was thinking that once dredged then maybe I could skim the leaves when they are floating on the surface . That might at least slow the silt problem a little.

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Does your county Soil & Water Conservation Service provide any type of pond advice?. Maybe call and at least ask them. They usually will have a list of pond builders in your area, although they are not allowed to officially say who is best or most competitent. That is part of your homework - researching. Often they are clueless about specifics of pond management but they are sometimes knowledgable about some types of pond construction.

For starters go out there and measure the length & width of the dyke surounding water and the size of the actual water surface (LXW). Have you ever been on the pond to determine its maximum depth? If springs drain into the pond and it is not full it likely leaks quite a bit of water in the exposed, surrounding upper dike. Developing a long term capital appropriation amount and plan is a good place to start.

Technicaly most of the soft material in your pond bottom is not silt, but dead organics aka muck, sluge, or bottom ooze. Very often it is black and smells like sulfur rotten eggs, is anaerobic without oxygen which is why it is black - aka anoxic. Silt by defition is primarily inorganic soil of various size particles from clay size to sand aka mud, clay, dirt. Often silt and natural soils contain various amounts of organic particulates in various stages of decay; the organic component of the soil-silt.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 11/18/14 08:08 PM.

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Good advise Bill
Thank You

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I think you can do several things on a low budget. Get the depth figured out like Bill mentioned. I would be surprised if it was more than a few feet of water before it turns to muck. I would try to dry it all up. If you can keep it dry, the muck will start to reduce because of the air mixing with it. Reduce muck, more room for water. Also less volume to worry about if you do dig it out. Several ways to possibly do that. Try to divert the springs to not enter the pond with a small trench/pipe that you may have laying around. You could also breach the dam where that pipe is. I would bet its leaking under that pipe any way. You could also rent a trash pump ($50?)to just get that water out. But it may fill back in right away. You might find out then if you have a spring under that water somewhere.

With that pipe, sure don't look like its doing much good as is. Don't look like there is enough dirt around it to hold up if water did get that high. Look at it closely and see if the water is going underneath it. Might be your only leak (hopefully). Do you have any wet spot(s) on the back side of the dam? That might lead you to other possible areas of concern.

If you did get it all dried up, I bet a small tractor with a box blade could get in there and clean it up in a days time. Has to be dry tho. How did they do it in the old days? - Team of horses and a roll-over scoop. Horses probably could get in there better than most equipment. But if you could get it all dried up with manual labor of trenches, that will make it easier for a machine operator. Easier should mean less cost to you. Now if you need to line it with clay, the bills start adding up fast. But if it is all rocky under that water and muck, you might have no choice. I would then dig it deep as comfortable then line it.

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Like your scenic views.
That Tree that is shedding all those leaves in the water may be the ROOT to your problem. Looks mighty close to me and the root system may be causing water loss.

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Good point about the root system. I had not thought of that. Cut down the tree but then what do you do if it breached the clay bottom/sides? Just add clay?

Is it better for a pond to have fun sun or some shade? Would full sun make for more algae ?


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