Time for our first, preliminary tally of voters so far.
Because of so many candidates, selected within 5 different categories (top 5 reasons Why you own a Pond ), I am going to offer the results in 2 different formats.
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The first format will likely be the easier of the two to analyze and see the bigger picture. I simply tallied all the votes, regardless of their location within the top 5 of each ballot. The candidates are arranged in order by votes; first candidate listed = with most votes. The snapshot looks like this:
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 26 votes
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 25 votes
1) Quality private fishery 21 votes
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 12 votes
2) To enhance land value 10 votes
9) Swimming hole 10 votes
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 7 votes
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 7 votes
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 7 votes
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 6 votes
23) Water source for fire fighting 5 votes
3) Ornamental landscaping 4 votes
10) To study aquaculture 4 votes
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it 4 votes
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing) 4 votes
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer) 3 votes
11) To study all of nature and/or biology 3 votes
12) To water livestock 2 votes
13) To irrigate crops 2 votes
14) To provide powered water sports (ie; skiing, jetski) 1 vote
Other: been a dream since I was a kid
Other: just for the heck of it
Other: because I don't have the money or land to own a lake
7) Fish hatchery (commercial) 0 votes
17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs) 0 votes
18) Erosion control 0 votes
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall) 0 votes

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The second method of tally is a bit more detailed. It is broken down into the top 5 reasons you own a pond. I extracted all the #1 choices from each ballot and tallied only those. I did the same for each of the remaining #2, #3, #4, and #5 choices from each ballot. The results came out like this:
#1 choice (out of top 5)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 12 votes
1) Quality private fishery 9 votes
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 2 votes
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 2 votes
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 2 votes
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 2 votes
9) Swimming hole 1 vote
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it 1 vote
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 1 vote
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 1 vote

#2 choice (out of top 5)
1) Quality private fishery 7 votes
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 5 votes
2) To enhance land value 4 votes
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 3 votes
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 3 votes
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 2 votes
9) Swimming hole 2 votes
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it 2 votes
23) Water source for fire fighting 2 votes
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 1 vote
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer) 1 vote
10) To study aquaculture 1 vote
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 1 vote

#3 choice (out of top 5)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 10 votes
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 6 votes
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 5 votes
1) Quality private fishery 2 votes
9) Swimming hole 2 votes
2) To enhance land value 1 vote
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 1 vote
10) To study aquaculture 1 vote
12) To water livestock 1 vote
13) To irrigate crops 1 vote
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing) 1 vote
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 1 vote
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 1 vote

#4 choice (out of top 5)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 6 votes
2) To enhance land value 3 votes
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 3 votes
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 3 votes
1) Quality private fishery 2 votes
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 2 votes
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 2 votes
9) Swimming hole 2 votes
3) Ornamental landscaping 1 vote
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 1 vote
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 1 vote
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer) 1 vote
10) To study aquaculture 1 vote
11) To study all of nature and/or biology 1 vote
14) To provide powered water sports (ie; skiing, jetski) 1 vote
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing) 1 vote
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it 1 vote

#5 choice (out of top 5)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 4 votes
3) Ornamental landscaping 3 votes
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 3 votes
9) Swimming hole 3 votes
23) Water source for fire fighting 3 votes
2) To enhance land value 2 votes
11) To study all of nature and/or biology 2 votes
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 2 votes
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing) 2 votes
1) Quality private fishery 1 vote
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 1 vote
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer) 1 vote
10) To study aquaculture 1 vote
12) To water livestock 1 vote
13) To irrigate crops 1 vote
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 1 vote