Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Deep Water Willows doing well.

Since I flooded the area last Sept. the willows in the 15' to 20' water have survived well. I am also not having any problems with any of them trying to start anywhere near the banks from anything floating away. For those that do not know I transplanted some large willow trees into the deep area of my 3ac pond while doing renovations. I done this thinking it would be good vertical structure for the BCP I was planning on stocking. Here is a view from the high ground.

Edit; BTW The Gap between the 1 willow toward the stand pipe and the others is a road I built the first time I renovated this pond in the mid 90's. It has about a 3' elevation above the bottom and a culvert in it for water to pass thru.

So the trunk is 15 feet down?? Wow. I didn't know there was a tree that could survive long term like that. That's pretty cool!

WayCool!

Thanks

Yes they have 15' of trunk in the water (it is actually 22' deep in the area next to the one by itself). Some May have wound up on a little higher and less than 15' of trunk under water on the closer side. To give you a size reference I would drive my Tractors (130 to 150 HP) and pans on the road that runs between them. The road is a couple of feet tall and the trees where all taller than the tractors Cabs.

I am just wondering if they will fall over time. Also I have not had any tropical storms or hurricanes yet to see how they handle that.

Nice pic Zep LOL

How's the fishing, great I'll bet? Awesome use of available habitat and even better for the fish. Thanks for sharing

PeePaw I have not fished out there yet. I am thinking it will be a BCP hot spot when the time comes to start catching them. I have watched natural feeding activity in the willows though.

i thought willows were water hogs?... you not worried about them drinkin so much?... i worry about the one big on on our damn...

Chris, I have an extremely high volume well (500+gpm) on this particular 3 acre pond that makes water no issue. I agree a willow on a dam is not a good thing.

yeah... i know.. but i'm afraid if we cut it. could cause leaking..


thanks for your reply... i do agree its great habitat.... i'd pitch a jig right in the middle of it all!!

Tums, I also have willows growing in my pond. I left them there when I built the pond. Mine are setting in 4' of water. I also have a water well for the pond. But it does not have near the volume u have.
I have sunk many a structure in the lakes I fish, Christmas trees, sweet gums, and willows. The willows will hold their leaves for months under water and they really keep the crappie close to the structure. I think you will have a great place to drown a minnow.
Tracy

If the willows have leaves out of the water, they will likely live and grow with the branches/trunk under the water developing new roots.

My only complaint with willow oaks are that branches will start new trees in the water, especially at the edges. Like cattails, they can't simply be cut down to kill them and they can become very invasive. They sure are pretty though, make awesome habitat, and are nice and cool to sit under on a hot summer day!

Rainman
So would you leave the willow or pull them up? My new puddle has a bunch that came up late summer and now with the rain they are in almost 2' water.. There isn't any willows near us at all. I guess those tiny floating in the wind seeds blew in. Probably over a hundred along one side. On the dam they gotta go... The rest pull them or leave em?


Pat

Pat, I remove every willow that I see. If they are establishing, it will continue each year.

DD1

Dangit man that's not what I wanted to hear! LOL have to wait for warmer water cause a lot are in the water due to wonderful rain. But will get-R-done

Thanks


Pat

Pat, they can be highly invasive, and take dedicated management to control. A half inch long twig partially in the water can grow new roots and start a tree...root runners grow too. If I could find a way to control unwanted spreading, I would keep one or two, but that's me,...and if I was unsure I would be able to look for, and kill any seen at early growth stages, I'd eradicate them now.

Thanks I've been pullin them this morning , dang there is a bunch of them

Never pulled any so I'm curious. Are they hard to pull? Much of a root system?

1/4" dia and one heck of a root system . Tough even in sandy soil. Doesn't take many and your done

Pat, for willows near or in the wAter that you want rid of, there is a chemical I had good luck with last year. Now if I could remember it??? 2-4-d maybe??? Someone will pipe in and correct me. Imo, easier than pulling. But, I think you need to wait until they are leafed out. I got good kill with sprayer application. Will have to see if any come back from the dead.

CMM

CMM

After you killed them, did the little dead stalks stay for a while and provide any temporary cover?

Bill,

Most of mine were right on the shoreline. So, no, I wouldn't say they were cover. I was only interested in getting rid of them. A few were on the dam. I sure didn't want them there. Good luck!

CMM
They budding out now and some are in two feet of water... If water comes up more and completely covers them they should die ??

Pat,

IMO I wouldn't count on that. Willows grow pretty quick. I would think as long as they can "keep their heads" above water, they will survive. Also, see Rainman's post above.

Pat,

I agree with Bill, Rainman and others. Willows won't die underwater unless they are helped along. I love the idea of them being living, underwater structure for the fish. So long as they don't spread too much to the banks and dam. I kill my willows and use alternate structure. To be clear, I have no experience with willows rooted in more than a few inches of water. My fear of invasion is what motivates me
Cmm