Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Texas Weather Pattern Changing?

We've had three good rains in a week for the first time in about a year. Last night it rained most of the night....slow steady rain, the kind that refills ponds... Maybe the pattern is finally changing for the better. Let's hope so.

We've had only light showers. And I mean real light. I went to my place the other day and found 15 hundredths in the rain guage. That was from 1.5 inches of snow and ice. Chance of precip and or light snow Tuesday night.

Ouch ML........
You really know how to hurt a guy
Just a few sprinkles here - not enough to setttle the dust.
Send some our way.

Really? I'm surprised you guys haven't gotten more. We've received about 3.5 inches in the past week and more on the way, they say. If I could spread it around to you I would but I'd bet on it coming your way soon. The prediction is for a chance for some snow here on Tuesday also.

We are getting some rain in South Ga., but if you want to blow a little of that snow over...
Born and raised 60 miles above the Florida line (in Tifton), I have touched snow only four times. Add a trip to West VA. to ski in 1991, and that makes a total of five. I am really missing out down here. Ryan would LOVE to play in some snow (and of course I am sure I would sit on the sidelines, ).

Seems you Texans need the water so will try to ship some of the white "stuff" your way,another 6-8 inches of the white stuff (we call it the S word)in the last 48 hours here in NW Ohio. Ponds mostly full with cracking ice due to the wet snow load.Deb I will bring you some in person in Feb as unless snowed in here, will be at the Georgia PB meeting.

Thanks Ted!
By the way I just linked onto your website. Very impressive! Your display ponds are absolutely beautiful. How do you keep that color? Makes me feel like taking a swim.

Thanks Deb,Ill turn the winter aerator on this afternoon if you want to go for that swim:)The larger pond 1.1 acre was reshaped and sculpted in winter of 2002 and early spring of 2003, it is designed for customers who need to relate to a water well filled pond with very little watershed and a very low nutrient level, the water supply is a 40 gpm well that is high in sulfur and iron thus one of the aeration systems in it can turn the entire water column over up to 4 times per day (no more sulfur)Many home owners today are putting in wells at the same time as the pond construction.I consider this a swimming pool with a few fish. This pond stays very clean and is always in the 90% DO range. The smaller pond to the right is only 4/10th acre approx 45-50 years old and has a high nutrient level as it has 38 acres of ag watershed.Many visitors have older high organic matter ponds and can relate to this one as far as what to expect with proper aeration. Only LMB and forage in the upper pond and a few perch,catfish,crappie, hybrid BG's in the lower pond. I have room for a few GG's.Different water sources different goals and fish lead the the visual differences in the pic.I also use a 25% rate of Crystal Blue if the FA on the rocks get growthy (no yellow dye) and Aquashade (has yellow dye) in the lower pond when needed at the same 25% rate.I maintain 70% plus DO in this pond and it stays very clean also."Sorry bout the long post"

Ted,

Join in the experiments...you've demonstrated that you would be much better at gathering data than I, plus give a Northern component to the study. Three is better than two giving us a better geographical distribution. Come on in and join the fun.

I'd bet you could get a few fish at the meeting...sneak them back on the plane.

ML, I may just arrange to have some for this spring just to see "whats all the fuss about" as they say !!Can always use some extra fun :)Will see what Deb can put together for these northern ponds.

ML, the best we have in the forecast is chance of light rain Tuesday night. Sounds like marketing hype to me. This actually gets our hopes up.

ML,
You're very fortunate....I am 15 miles SW of Tyler and we haven't had .25" in the last month. BTW it looks like my Tilapia are finally biting the bullet. There were 4 this morning all 1+ pounds. Do the smaller ones last a tad longer as the water cools? My .75 acre pond has lost about half of it's depth(13'down to 7').

Thanks

ML - Looks like NE Texas is not in good shape right now! Here is a good place to check on drought conditions around the country:

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/drought_assessment.html

http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

BarO,

Actually if you have predators, i.e. LMB and/or HSB, you will not see any dead small Tilapia.....they are all consumed by the predators just before the Tilapia dies. The only dead Tilapia I ever see are large ones, too big for most predators. I like to say that even in death the Tilapia is working for you to help your pond.

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Shorty,

Looks like I may have spoken too soon.

For the first time this past week, our area started getting that lower Pacific moisture streaming across Mexico and which when it hits warm Gulf air gives East Texas much of its winter rains. Usually that starts much earlier and is much more pronounced. With the reports,however, it sounds like I jumped the gun and we were just lucky to get the rain we got. Oh well...

ML - Keep doing those nightly rain dances! I can tell you that here in NE we are in need of some rain as well.

ML,

Thanks......just had 2 more this morning(6 total), all of which were 8-11" in length. Had a sprinkle of rain last night, waiting for the "big gully-washers".

All the rain we have received in Anderson County have been dustings.

Y-T-D we are at 27 inches total rain - there hasnt been a year with less than 30 inches since 1964.

Gator

Ted,

We only have about 8" of snow here. Do you know how many inches of snow equal 1" of rain?

It can vary depending on the moisture content of the snow but as a general rule of thumb, 6" of snow typically equals 1" of rain.