So we have had this house and pond for 4 years now. I had no idea how much work a pond can be. Started of just skimming the algae. Kinda enjoyed that but could not keep up. Barley ball seemed to help that issue. Then the reeds and grasses started to take over the pond. I tried getting into the pond with fishing waiters on and got stuck in deep muck not even two steps into the pond. Thought I was gonna have to leave the waiters behind but I got out.... Now the water is low but apparently every one in the area is low. Surprising to me after such a wet summer? Leaves will be a permanent problem but I am think about getting the pond dredged. Problems with that are :
Not poking through the clay bottom (if that is how its constructed)
And not having access to the other side of the pond. Its not big so maybe a long back hoe could reach the whole thing.
The other thing I would like to fix and make more attractive is the pipe that aerates the pond by trickling in water from the stone spring. There are several (up to 5) other springs that feed the pond over the ground .
Another big problem that I have is the fact that the pond is all but impossible to mow around because of the rock and uneven ground and the tiny gullies that the springs create as they run into the pond.
There are about 30 Large mouth bass in the pond as well but can't really see them any more when the grasses are in fully . (died off in these current photos)
Suggestions welcome . I have no idea what Im doing in any regard. Not the fish nor the pond nor the springs. Which by the way are sulfur springs. When I rake the leaves out of the stone spring it smells if I dig too deep. Not an issue other wise. My area of PA was known as a sulfur Spring recreation and vacation spot a century ago.
So here are photos from the back porch.
Closer to the pond
The next day we had serious wind and rain and a lot of the leaves disappeared but I will still need to get in there with a rake.
The stone spring
The pipe that runs from the stone spring
Something has to be better then this . It only works half the time because it either gets clogged or it shifts and the water doesn't flow into the pipe
It does seem low but in the 4 years that we have been there the water was never up to the big pipe at the far end. The water flows out through a bunch of rocks just under that drainpipe
Here are views from the drainpipe side of the pond looking back toward the house.
We have a canoe that we use to use to pull the reeds and grasses from the boat. A few strokes with an oar and you are on the other side. so it is small. I was thinking though that if I fill in the rock bed drain with clay, then it would fill up the pond more to the drainpipe then the surface area of the pond would get bigger.... To much thinking not enough experience
How did people dredge ponds back in the days before backhoes and heavy equipment? I am all about DIY when possible . I see another thread here about a pump to suck out the muck but 2500 bucks is out of my price range at the moment. I'll look into that a little deeper. Where do you rent something like that?
