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Joined: Oct 2003
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I am about to dig a 1/2 to 3/4 acre pond on a flat site that will be fed via my well. About 100 yards away from the pond site is a creek that has MANY willow trees. I would like to move some of these trees near my pond for both shade and as a visual barrier to a neighbor. While looking through the Pond Boss site I noticed that several people are asking about how to remove willow trees and am suddenly concerned that there might be a problem with this whole idea. As this pond will not have a dam, is that true? What other problems might I encounter?

Thanks from a new registrant in the beautiful mountain valleys of Colorado!

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In my opinion most trees are bad near a pond (within 40 to 60ft). Tree roots "seek" and grow toward water. Some recommend keeping trees 100 ft away from the pond. Leaves can still blow a long way across the ground and get into the pond.

Trees "look good" near a pond but trees produce lots of litter that is bad for the overall pond system. There are many other plantings that can be done around the pond that will cause fewer problems to the pond. Short needle evergreens or white cedar & arborvitae are not as bad near a pond but don't get them too close to the waters edge; stay back about 20 to 30 ft if possible. I discovered short needles also can blow quite a distance in breezy winds. Evergreens also shed needles periodically.

1. Tree roots, esp willow, seek water and in doing so will penetrate the clay liner or packed bottom/side soils. Roots, once at the water soil interface, will absorb lots of water from the pond & transpire it to the air. When the tree dies or is removed the dead roots leave thousands of small pathways for the water to leak from the pond walls. I have seen large masses of willow tree roots sticking out of the pond bank underwater. These root masses at first glance look like some sort of hairy tangled weed growth.

2. Lots of leaves in a pond from trees and some long needled pines can put large amounts of organic matter into the pond. This organic matter is fertile when decomposed. This fertility will grow lots of extra underwater weeds or algae. Often leaves do not decompose in the pond bottom and lay there for many years, accumulating and forming thick BLACK layers on the pond pottom making the pond shallower and muckier each year. The black material is especially rich in soluable phosphorus; a plant food/nutrient. This dead matter accumulation in the pond bottom that gradually fills a pond up, is how a pond ages. The more un-decomposed dead matter that fills it in the older the pond gets until it is very shallow and swampy. Eventually it becomes dry land again. This is called SUCCESSION.

The less "outside" dead matarial that gets into your pond the younger and "cleaner" it stays. The more that gets in the faster the pond ages and the quicker it fills up with dead stuff. Dead stuff that has accumulated in a pond is created 3 ways: blown in, washed in, or produced within the pond.

I even put up a fence each fall along the tree line to keep leaves and debris from blowing into my pond. I use a natural living hedge to reduce windblown input in my other pond. I try and dip out most floating tree leaves before they sink.

You have been warned/educated, do what you want, but no use creating yourself more work and evential aggravation and poorer pond water conditions if not necessary. ALSO,, High amounts of deposited leaves that are decomposting in a smaller pond can stain the water brown and consume lots of oxygen to cause fish to periodically suffocate from lack of oxygen.


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Willows transpirate a large volume of water. Since you will be using a well as a water source, you are looking at a big energy cost to replace the water willows will use. I've heard people say a full grown willow next to yout pond is like having a 3" line open running your water out. Can't comment on the truth of that, but I think you will find few people recommending trees next to your pond.
Jim

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Bill, that was an excellent post, thanks for the insight.

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As I drive around and look at various "silted up" and dry stock tanks, I notice one commonality; willows and/or cottonwoods. On one of my forage ponds, I found a willow coming up from the roots 100 ft. across the pond from willows on the dam that I can't remove. I wouldn't do it.

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Gentlemen,

I am overwhelmed with the level of informative responses and insight you have provided on this subject! We literally had the tree moving company scheduled for next week... YOU may have saved us some huge headaches and we will have to rethink the whole issue now. Thank you very much for taking the time to be so helpful.


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