Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Increasing Watershed During Drought

I just went and priced some silt fencing at a big box store for an upcoming job. A thousand feet of 3' silt fencing (without stakes) was less than $100.

My oddball question of the week: Would it be workable to set up two lengthy silt fencing "wings" roughly perpendicular to the existing water flow path to a pond to increase the watershed area?

Would this help gather some more water from any upcoming rains to help those ponds that are suffering very low water levels due to drought conditions? Some flowing surface water would sneak past the fence, but directing any additional water to a low pond might make it worth the effort.

Obviously, the topography of the property would have to be a certain way for this to work. If you were able to construct a 3' tall earth berm or levee on my farm, there are many places available where that would direct significantly more water to a certain point.

I am just speculating on the forum if it would be possible to do a "poor boy" version of the earth berm process using silt fencing?

The silt fences were designed to trap silt but let water continue on it's way. So, to increase the watershed, how would you stop the water from going through the silt fence?

I am less an expert than you, but had to put up almost 500' of silt fence when we built the pond. I think it could work over time if your runoff does contain some silt or debris to clog the fence. If you read the EPA document Storm water Silt Fences they worry about silt buildup and the impact on the fence's designed function, but you don't want to release filtered water. On the other hand, putting in a trench for the silt fence and putting in posts every 8-10 feet may be harder than building a small berm with a back blade on your tractor. Silt fence could be used to stabilize that berm, it is basically geo-textile anyway.

FishingRod,

At the time of construction consider making ditches to divert run off outside the watershed to the pond. Ditches are permanent and the cost probably comparable. My dad did this for our crawdad/stock pond and there was member here that used a ditch to catch runoff from his entire 10 acres. Just something to chew on.

Sounds like a swing and a miss on that idea.

All of the silt fences I see on highway construction projects must be clogged because they are diverting water like crazy. But you guys are right, a clean fence in a clean grassed field shouldn't work at all.