I have read ample material discussing the "Dead Zone" bottom water in ponds as being an unproductive aspect of ponds. I am currently excavating a 2.5 acre Farm Pond in Upstate NY for both game fish (LMB & Bluegill) and irrigation.
I planned on using a windmill driven bottom aerator to mitigate the effects of the low 02 bottom water but now wonder if this bottom "Dead Zone" might not include desirable nutrients that I can put to work for me.
All the negative comments about the bottom layer having ammonia, nitrates, feces, etc sounds like a source of fertile irrigation water to me. Near the pond I plan on growing Pumkins and Fall Raspberries for a 'Pick Your Own' operation. Perhaps if I created a deep 'sump' in the middle of the pond and placed the aerator mid-depth @ 6' it would cause the currents to sweep the feces, etc into the sump for collection. Frequent pumping from this sump for irrigation should help keep muck and the 'undesirable factors' at a minimum.
Does anyone have any experience taking advantage using bottom water for irrigation ? Would E.Coli from fish feces be present in the bottom "Dead Zone"?.