IMO you should plant some sort of ground cover on the banks and water shed, even if it is a grain such as wheat, oats or spelt or hay or cheap grass seed. Grass will grow in clay if the seed bed is prepared properly. You will soon see weeds will have no problem growing in the disturbed clay soil. Often in the north we plant a quick sprouting grass or annual rye grass with the perennial grass to become established while the other grass becomes established. A grass called buffalo grass does not very tall and does not usually need mowing. TX may have appropriate grass cover species. Lack of ground cover vegetation allows excessive soil erosion which as you mentioned causes excess turbidity. Lack of shoreline emergent vegetation allows excessive of bank erosion and sloughing unless the banks are stoned or with riprap.
Turbid water due to suspended soil/silt/clay suppresses plankton blooms in about direct proportion to the amount of turbidity. Lack of plankton reduces the productivity of the pond system and results in fewer fish and often reduced overall quality of the fishery. Turbid water less than 16" visibility of secchi disk also results in fewer fish caught for anglers due to fish not being able to see the 'bait'.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 11/25/14 07:28 PM.
