Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Remove sediment or not?

Friends,

I've been following this board for several months as I gear up for a major renovation/expansion project at my farm. The plan is to raise (and repair) the dam on my existing 2 acre lake to expand it and to submerge some bank erosion caused by the previous owner's cattle. We also plan to build a second, smaller pond upstream from the first and a constructed wetland even higher up the valley to divert a water source toward the two lakes. Should be fun!

I have many questions but one comes to the top of the list: when I renovate the existing lake, should I remove some of the sediment that has been accumulating at the bottom for the the past 25 years or so? I was thinking that when we lower the pond to work on the dam we could remove a foot or two (or more) of muck from the end of the pond furthest from the dam. I could spread the muck on a nearby ridge and create a food plot there in a year or so when it dries out.

Does that make sense? Or should I leave well enough alone? The pond appears to hold water well and I wouldn't want to do anything that would create new problems. On the other hand I know there is a lot of sediment in the pond which might create problems of another sort down the road. Who has an opinion?

Thanks!

Nutrients will build up in sediment. The easiest way to remove those nutrients is to remove the sediment. (Note I didn't say cheapest!)

With you building settling ponds upstream, I think removing as much of the muck as you can is a good idea. If the pond has a clay liner, and sand or porous rock under it, be careful not to remove the clay..........

Agree with Scott - if you're overhauling the pond get as much organic sludge/muck removed while you've got a chance. You can gain back many years of youth this way and prevent nutrient rich issues down the road [heavy planktonic algae blooms, runaway vegetation, etc.]. I think your idea of using that organic material for food plots or a garden are excellent...again, use those nutrients for something useful! Any photos for us?