Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Winter aeration?

If I lived in or south of Kentucky. I would not aerate my pond in winter (late Nov to March). Winter aeration to minimize fish kill is primarily for northern ponds that have extended ice and deep snow cover (5"-12"+) that exists longer than one month sometimes as long as 3-4 months!

Normal ponds (7'-16'deep) will naturally mix usually top to bottom in fall when water temperatures drop to below 50F due to night cooling, denser surface waters and fall wind action. Fall turnover also occurs in most deep lakes (20'-60'+). Very few lakes do not completely mix (turnover) once or twice a year. Thus in the case of open water ponds they are 'turning over' (surface to deep water mixing) often, every few days if not daily. During winter cold fronts and windy periods on relatively shallow open water, the mixing often extends to deep water (18ft+). Nature is circulating the pond naturally during winter open water conditions (water temps >50F).

During winter when water temperatures in open water range from 39 to 50F a majority of the decomposing oxygen consuming bacteria are 'working' very slow, thus DO consumption is greatly reduced compared to those of the spring, summer, fall water temperatures. In winter for the DO that is present, it lasts a lot longer compared to DO in deep water during 70F+ temps. For this reason, I don't think winter aeration is necessary in most sport fish ponds where the ice/snow cover lasts 1-3 weeks. Generally it is not the ice cover that is a problem in winter for DO loss, it is the snow cover blocking the light from getting through the ice and into the water where microscopic plants produce DO.