My wife and I bought an old farmhouse in Western PA about 2 years ago that has a small pond. There are a couple problems that we'd like to address so I was hoping to get some advice and recommendations. I'll try to describe it in as much detail as I can; I've also attached 2 pictures.
Size I've calculated the surface area to be about 0.8 acres. The depth is highly variable but probably 3-4 feet at its deepest. The depth has decreased significantly since we moved in.
Features The pond is fed from a few different sources. 1) There is a spring about 100 yards uphill that runs downhill and is piped into the pond. 2) A second spring feeds directly into the pond and water can be seen bubling up from it year-round. 3) At some point, one of the previous owners ran a pipe into the pond, which collects water either from our gutters or other drainage. The pond also has a small island that can be seen in the pictures. There is also a small stream that runs behind the pond.
Wildlife We've put 5 Koi into the pond. There are also 11 grass carp that are fairly large. We found a dead one recently and it measured 42". We regularly see bluegills, as well as some bass. I hear a few few bull frogs, but not many. We see muskrats from time to time. The previous owner had them trapped, but we haven't done that. We also have 2 white ducks that live there year-round. Mallards, canadian geese, and herons come occassionally. A pair of geese are raising their 9 babies there now as well.
Vegetation The pond was relatively clear when we moved in but has since become overrun with watermeal. At first I thought it was duck weed but it isn't. There is also some algea, but not a lot. We are working on clearing the banks, but currently they are overgrown. There are a number of trees, including one large willow and a couple pines, plus numerous smaller willows and other trees.
Problems/Questions Our primary concerns are 1) the water level is often very low, we have tried clearing out the spring/stream (feed source #1 above) and filling in holes that we've found, but this is still a serious problem. I have heard that muskrats can drain a pond, and also that too many trees, especially willows, can do the same. I've considered using a dye to see if we can tell where we might be losing water, but haven't done so yet. We have also considered trying to pump water from the stream behind the pond. 2)at times the watermeal completely covers the pond in a thick layer. I know this is bad both from a pond health standpoint and from an aesthetic standpoint. I've done some reading and heard about chemical treatments, but would prefer a natural solution if possible. It sounds like limiting surrounding vegetation and not permitting geese to nest could help. I have also heard that a higher water level can help, espically if the level is as high as the overflow pipe so the watermeal will effectively be skimmed off. I have heard that tilapia will eat watermeal, but am not sure if they can live in our climate.
Any suggestions and advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
