Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Moving to new home, questions about pond...

I recently purchased a small (17ac) farm in Bucks County PA. Located on the property near the house is a small (appx 30' x 20') pond. It seems to be very marshy/loaded with vegetation and overgrown. The banks are muddy, and I'm unsure if there is a steady source of inflow to the pond, or if it is simply collecting rainwater. As near as I can tell it is not natural - it appears as if the one side has been banked up. I also can't seem to locate the discharge path - the ground on the "down" side of the pond seems to be wet, but there is no particular flow.

Pending a more thorough inspection in the next couple of weeks, I have some general questions:

What should I be looking for when I get a chance to really look this thing over?

Is this a valuable asset to the property, or just an eyesore? We hope to restart some crop/animal operations in the next year, and I am wondering about the value of water storage. The house is on a well, and there seems to be a lot of wet/marshy ground in the back yard (springs?). I have to redo all the gutters/downspouts and was considering routing everything to the pond.

I'm concerned about insects, mosquitoes in particular. Considering the apparent limited, or non-existant, flow, should I remove vegetation and debris, and areate the pond to reduce stagnation?

Yes, I have no real idea what the heck I've let myself in for - so any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Gregg

I can't imagine any real property value in a 20x30 pond in your area, especially on a farm. This is a mosquito nesting ground and certainly not a respectable pond. Aerating it would be a waste. If you need it for a wet area it is good to keep but don't think of it as a hobby pond.

Brian

I can't imagine any real property value in a 20x30 pond in your area, especially on a farm. This is a mosquito nesting ground and certainly not a respectable pond. Aerating it would be a waste. If you need it for a wet area it is good to keep but don't think of it as a hobby pond.

Brian

I can't imagine any real property value in a 20x30 pond in your area, especially on a farm. This is a mosquito nesting ground and certainly not a respectable pond. Aerating it would be a waste. If you need it for a wet area it is good to keep but don't think of it as a hobby pond.

Brian