Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Manmade Floating islands for vegetation on a lake

I am starting a lake association that will involve working with Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Water board to inprove the fishery at a North Texas lake. The lake has huge level swings as much as 20 feet in a year so vegetation is non existent. Tie into this the lake is in a dry, dusty/sand environment which further complicates the issue. I think vegetation is very important and will work as a nursery. If you are familiar with floating docks with polystyrene, that is sort of where I am thinking I have to look. I envision sinking heavy concrete weights in 30-40' of water with one or two chains reaching up the the surface conectting to a floating structure that would house lily pads. Before I re-invent the wheel is there such a beast out there and can you suggest a web site to help. I am aware that I have to get the water boards and TP&W's OK before I proceed. Any help would truly be appreciated. BTW, it is a 13,000 acre lake. Thanks!!!

Interesting project but one that will take some minor engineering I am afraid. You apparently will have to build a structure that withstand the elements and in a 13K acre lake you can get some pretty rough conditions. I have built small floating wetlands in ponds using pvc frames but they can flip over even in a protected area with the right wind. Do you want to do this in a protected area near your dock or are you talking about placing these in numerous areas in open water throughout the lake. If the later is the case, you are going to have to put a lot of thought and effort into it. Also, you may want to consider using emergent wetland vegetation rather than water lilies. I can envision a floating frame with some sort of bottom that can hold soil but is porous to allow water to seep in. This could be a plastic pond liner with holes punched in the bottom. The end result would be the equivalent of a floating marsh. If you can get it started it may take a life of its own but if it breaks up in bad weather you might end up with a ship wreck on your hands to clean up. Give a little more detail on what you are planning.

Now I got to start thinking ... Hmmm. I would fabricate the framework out of suitable steel and send it out to be galvanized. I would use two opposed weights on the lake bottom to prevent the station from spinning or winding. Probably use a center steel bar on the underside and inline with the weights that would allow the chain loop move with the current and wind to prevent flipping. I envision about a 6' X 6' floating island filled with soil but would require some sort of lip to prevent wave action to wash soil out. Another choice would be to have rocks on the soil surface like pea gravel covered with river rock. Or even castle-like walls that would allow plants to grow outwards. I'd like to use some aquatic plan that would spread and cover a reasonable large coverage area. 40 foot radius or larger. Is there such a thing? I may need additional "satellite" stations for extensive coverage. I am aware that I would have to calculate floatation to which is no problem. Any construction ideas or experience with similar projects? Can you recommend a suitable spreading plant?

Here's a suggestion. Lot's of work being done right now on re-establishing native aquatic vegetation in public lakes in north Texas. Dr. Michael Smart and his crew works at the old hatchery below Lake Lewisville. Their federally funded mission is the study of aquatic plants.
If anyone has constructive ideas for larger public impoundments, these guys will.
go to http://www.wes.army.mil/el/facility/laerf.html
or do a google search for "aquatic+plant+Lewisville". That'll take you right to it.

Yep, Michael Smart does have a great deal of experience in this area. He can probably put you on to others who have done similar projects. What you are planning to construct will be fairly costly so you may want to try a small prototype first and see how it works first. This way you can see what plants may work well in addition to testing design. Start small and work your way up to more ambitious projects. I suggest you build a small pvc frame structure, maybe 3'x3' and see what it does. As for the plants, do a little research into what native emergent wetland plants are in the area and plant about 3 to 5 species in the structure. You can do this all in a day and have results in a few months. You will also have something interesting to show off and sell the idea.

If you linked together durable plastic crates, as used for carrying bread ot bottled merchandise, with nylon rope, you could make a stable buoyant 'raft' that could be tethered to rise and fall with lake levels...

Aquatic iris are buoyant and mat forming when their numbers merge, rather suitable for the task of a floating island...

You may have to start them in a side pond until the plants 'knots' well together, then drain them off so they are easy to move to add to the deep water pond

Regards, andy
http://community.webshots.com/user/adavisus