Design flaws are all interlocked, and also make each other worse.
Flaw #1. No filtration. On a body of water that size filtration is almost a requirement. And in your setting, strainers and filters. Even a skimmer.
Flaw #2. Drainage aimed at pond. Without filtration you can't have junk and sediment flowing in. Now you have a sediment catchment, with no filtration, and no way to remove the sediment and other nasties that come along with runoff, mainly fertilizer leftovers.
Flaw #3. Too shallow. Without filtration, and with drainage aimed at pond there is no room for lack of depth. The sediment displaces a large percentage of open water. Chemicals coming in feed algae, again, unable to be filtered. And the lack of depth has a propensity to overheat and kill anything good, like fish, and just make it a sediment laden algae pond.
Also shallow ponds are known as evaporation ponds, because the water gets so hot, it enhances evaporation.
Then you have so many constraints, especially financially, you cannot overcome all of the flaws. They are similar to French reflection ponds. Concrete lined and shallow, formal. But they have turned into water treatment sludge ponds.
What I would do, one pond at a time, is introduce Water Hyacinth. You don't have any outflow to any public waters. They will address three issues, filtration, algae and sludge. They will even reduce evaporation and water temp. Pretty green foilage and lavender flowers. But under them the water is getting crystal clear, the black bottom is getting used up, and algae is getting blocked and drawn into the roots. Then throw in some Gambusia. Maybe 100. Try this with one pond. It would almost be free. Before Winter hits pull out all of the plants and toss them into a compost pile. Labor intensive but with the money saved you could afford the labor. You should have no algae, little or no muck and very clear water. Tint it hard, a little tint goes a long way in a shallow pond. That is what I would do.
Last edited by The Pond Frog; 04/28/10 09:29 AM.
