Pond Boss Forums INTRO New Forum Member Introduction Hello from Vancouver Island

Hello. I've purchased a small acreage (5 acres) with a small pond. I'd like to maintain it as a non potable water source and wildlife pond, no fishing required.I have many questions; for starters how do I start learning about my specific pond, for example is it natural? Sealed? Water table fed?

Tips on which sub forums or other resources might be useful for a newbie with an 'inherited pond', would be appreciated.

I've just done a rough calculation of my pond size:

Surface area ~ 0.1 acres (perhaps a bit larger)

Depth in summer: ~ 4 feet
Depth in winter: ~ 15 feet

Welcome to the forum dochockin!

I am guessing what you would call a "natural" pond would be one left from a glacial depression and not man made in any way.

By "sealed", I would guess you are asking if the bottom, sides and dam (man made)are "sealed" with compacted clay. These ponds get filled from water runoff from the surrounding higher grounds.

A "water table fed" or "ground water" pond is simply a hole dug below and into the natural water table for your area. Water levels fluctuate with how high the water under the ground rises...In a way, a ground water pond is just a bigger version of a water well.

If your pond has a 11 foot fluctuation between winter and summer, and you don't get much spring and summer rain, you probably do have a groundwater pond. VI is not part of the semi-arid climate like the Similikeem Valley is in the eastern part of BC, is it?

If you are only wanting a wildlife pond, there is really nothing you need to do to maintain it other than how you want it to appear visually for your pleasures. Personally, I would put in some sort of minnow or sunfish to reduce and control mosquito larvae and other water hatched insects.

You may want to buy Bob Lusk's book, A Perfect Pond-Want One?, from the PB book store here. We also appreciate all that contribute to keeping this forum free to all with a donation to cover the server expenses.

Thanks for the info. I suspect the pond was dug out in the early 70s, when the house was built and the property cleared (it was likely second growth forest after being logged sometime around WWI).

We don't get much rain (if any) in the summers. We are similar to the Seattle area for climate. 80% of our precipitation falls between October and April.

I have the book "Earth Ponds". Does the Bob Lusk book add anything to that book's info, especially if one is not considering installing a pond?

dochockin, Bob's book is geared toward proper construction, structure and habitat for quality fishing. Only you could decide how much you wish to educate yourself on what you own or how well you want to steward your land....