Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Removing Snow from Ice. How Much?

Bob-O if you would read your email you would be up-do-date with my trip plans. Email was sent to you Friday.

If some ice has snow blown off that is usually enough to keep winter kill minimized. If pond is wind sheltered the minimum snow removed for me is 10% and better 20% of the pond area snow free. Try not to let complete snow cover to lie on ice for longer than 4-6wks as Dwight suggests. The deeper the pond the less chance for winter kill because more water volume can hold a bigger DO 'bank account'. Several factors affect how fast DO is consumed under snow cover. I would say that generally the ponds that are prone to summer kill will be more likely to winter kill.

I think if one allows the DO to drop to dangerously low levels before removing snow then it will more difficult to get the DO consumption trend reversed so the fish don't die .