Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat How do pesticides in runoff affect a pond?

The reason I ask is that I am needing to treat my yard around the house. My front yard provides about 1/4 of the ponds runoff supply. With all the dry weather we've had, fleas are driving the dogs crazy. Will runoff containing pesticide have and adverse affect on the Pond? Haven't seen this question posed so thought I'd ask.

As usual, any and all experience will be welcomed.

That info can be found on the label of the product used. Look up the active ingredients.

GO to Vet and get Bravecto!

I've had great success controlling fleas by way of using “beneficial nematodes” (available at garden centers) It's relatively inexpensive, easy to apply, extremely effective, and environmentally friendly. About 10 days after application, the yard, and the dogs were completely free of fleas

Edit: I forgot to mention, beneficial nematodes are microscopic worms that will burrow into the soil to seek and destroy flea larvae.

I suspect anything designed to kill fleas will be bad for most of your aquatic food chain. I would look at the SDS for thee product. If toxic to aquatic organisms it should be listed as such. The issue with the pet applied solutions is that the flea problem can continue in the yard if there are other animals to allow the flea life cycle to continue. My dad has an ongoing problem where squirrels and neighborhood cats keep the fleas going. They jump on his dogs long enough to make it inside then bail out when they get in the house despite the dogs always being treated.

I looked at a couple on the shelf at work today. Not anything you want getting into your pond....at all.

They haven't become a problem indoors, yet. We don't have any carpet in the house so I'd say that's helped some. I bought 4 bottles of a hose application called Cyanara. I've used it in the past and it works well. I'm gonna use it on all sides that don't drain to the pond. That'll help some. It's gonna be after the weekend since we're expecting some rain. Thank goodness.

Nematodes, huh? That's an interesting concept. Never heard of those, but you can bet I'll be looking into that. If they're not too expensive, I may could use them for the rest of the yard and around the pond. Need enough to treat approx 1 acre.

I thought the short half life of pest control chemicals made them less of an issue now days.

It plainly states on the bag that it's harmful to fish and invertebrates.

The label should be your definitive source of information.

A forestry guy told me that Roundup on dry land around the pond edges typically does not hurt the water plants nor fish.