Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Flocculation from creek water

I have two 1/4 acre ponds that are currently muddy. When I have pumped a substantial amount of fairly clear creek water into them, the suspended clay flocculates and settles out for a few months. I haven't pumped for nearly a year now, and they are increasingly muddy with suspended clay that doesn't settle in a bucket test.

My question is: What could be in the creek water that causes the ponds to flocculate? The amount of creek water needed to cause it is probably at least 25% of the pond volume.

John:

I do not know what might be in the creek water, but this would be an interesting experiment:

use 5 five gallon buckets and fill each with 4 gallons of pond water
save one as control, then add/mix in 1/4,1/2, 3/4, and 1 gallon of creek water to the other buckets and see what happens. maybe toss a penny in the bottom to see if you can see it. See if any or all floc, and then see if it will re-floc if stirred up again. If nothing happens it may have to be re-done with more creek water. If nothing happens still perhaps it wasn't the creek water after all.

Ionic imbalance in the pond water is keeping the clay suspended. Adding the creek water balances things out and the clay precipitates to the bottom of the pond.

Get the banks surrounding the pond covered with vegetation so the clay doesn't run into the pond during a hard rain and your problem most likely will be solved.

Esshup,
The banks are currently vegetated. The pond bottoms, I suspect, get stirred up by the CC and crawdads. When there is water in the creek after the drought breaks, I am going to try the bucket tests suggested above first. If they work, then I will pump and see what happens. Three winters ago, after pumping several times over a few months, I had over ten foot visibility in the pond I pumped into.

Please let us know the results.

John, if I could raise catfish as big as yours, I'd take the muddy water.