Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help I dont know what to do with a couple small ponds.

We have a small 2000 gallon pond that has water in it most of the year. I will maybe haul in 2000 gallons over the summer, mainly for the wild life. It's a low spot in clay but we believe it must have some natural water draining into it along with the rain run off from our road. It's around 3' deep at most. Down a little draw about 100 feet I dug another hole in a shaded area that also fills up during the winter with run off. It's around 3 to 4 feet deep and around 2000 gallons also. Last year I got a red algae in the upper pond and didnt know what to do about it. Right now it is covered with a green stringy algae and the water seems to be not evaporating. It's about 20% full. I was going to fill up both ponds and pump water out of the lower one up to the higher one, letting it drain down the draw through the small over populated pine trees and pine needles back down to the lower pond. Would this help to keep the bad algae out of the ponds? Thanks for any advice Rick

Welcome to Pond Boss!

I'm not sure of the answers to your question, but I do know that pumping water uphill takes a lot of energy.

The algae issues could be from several factors including nutrient load in the water, as well as maybe stagnation.

If the ponds go dry in the winter, or freeze solid, then stocking of fish may be a futile effort, unless you're willing to restock each year.

during the winter it is always flowing over. I dont want to have any fish in it, I think the deer, elk, moose and smaller animals use it as a water source. I have noticed that once I dump a load of water in it the water turns green very fast. unlike the natural water that just seems to be clear or brown muddy looking.

Is there any wind action that agitates the surface of the ponds?

No not much at all.

Algae spores are nearly everywhere in non-desert environments. They can even travel in the atmosphere where they enter your water supply directly, or indirectly when they get incorporated into raindrops.

I keep a kiddie wading pool in our backyard for our dogs. I fill it with chlorinated city water. Within a week, it is exhibiting algal growth. IMO, it is impossible for you to exclude the algae from your pond ecosystems.

Even the soils can hold dormant algal spores. I don't think running your water from one pond to the other will "filter" out your algae. In fact, it might even increase it after the initial decrease.

You can physically rake out the green, string algae. (Called "filamentous algae".) You need to deposit it away from the watershed that fills your ponds - or the nutrients will run back into your pond water after the algae decays.

Algae does require sunlight, so deepening your ponds would be one option that could add much more water to your total system without adding much more algal growth.

Another option would be to use a copper-based algaecide. A lot of our pond management experts use Cutrine Plus. It is used in ponds with fish and humans swimming. In the CORRECT dosage and treatment, it will kill all or most of the algae, but not harm the larger fish. I believe it may be toxic to some of your amphibians and zooplankton in higher doses, but with perfect micro-dosing some or all may survive?

If your ponds are mostly support for terrestrial wildlife, then I believe the treated water would be safe for them. (The product label says it is safe for watering livestock when used according to the instructions.)

OTOH, the most common types of algae make the water look and smell unsightly, but it is still safe to drink. (Some types of blue-green algae are toxic.) You might just let your wildlife deal with the algae. (I have one dog that prefers to drink from the kiddie pool when it is green, even though there is a bowl of fresh water right beside it.)

What are the main types of wildlife you wish to support? That might get you the most useful responses to your post.

Good luck on your mini ponds project!

Main types of wild life is deer, elk, moose on down the line to smaller animals. Thanks for the reply everyone. I was told the red algae was dangerous to deer. This was the only one I had that really worried me.

I believe that freshwater red algae is NOT toxic. The massive red algal blooms that sometimes form in the ocean to create "red tides" definitely ARE toxic.

However, I am not an algae expert.

Like you, I maintain one small pond for wildlife. When our local creek goes dry during a drought, that pond gets unbelievably heavy traffic.

In your case, I think you maintaining your two ponds as a water source for the critters is a noble project. There are many summers that get pretty dry out in your region. You might even consider expanding your pond system when you have some good opportunities.

P.S. You do live in a beautiful region. We have some friends we visit semi-nearby on Lake Pend Oreille. That area is awesome!


CORRECTION:

Please read Theo's post below. Apparently there are some freshwater red algae than can be toxic.

"Red Euglena" are the red fresh water algae blooms per the experts here.

Per wikipedia:

The members have it correct about your small pond algae issues. Even more dramatic to what FishinRod said "Algae spores are nearly everywhere in non-desert environments". Algae spores ARE everywhere especially where there is any wind. Algae seems to grow everywhere. Different species prefer different conditions. Sunlight, water and nutrients make them grow. IMO it will be hard to maintain good water quality all the time in those tiny ponds. If they were mine I would research wetlands and then try and copy and use a few of the recommended nutrient consuming plants that are used in wetland management.

https://www.wisconsinwetlands.org/updates/ephemeral-ponds-seasonal-habitat-for-wildlife/

https://ngs.org.uk/app/uploads/2024/01/How-to-make-a-mini-wetland-guide_NGS.pdf
see the section on How to Build a Wildlife pond. Appropriate for your situation.

See THIS FROM PENN STATE
HTTPS://EXTENSION.PSU.EDU/MANAGING-YOUR-RESTORED-WETLAND
The following listing is a selection of plants adapted to wetlands. Plants are grouped under headings indicating their ability to tolerate standing water. Appendix A describes these and other common wetland plants and their benefits for wildlife.
Obligate
• Arrow arum (Peltandra virginica)
• Beaked spikerush (Eleocharis rostellata)
• Blue flag (Iris versicolor)
• Cattail (Typha spp.)
• Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
• Hardstem bulrush (Scirpus acutus)
• Manna grass (Glyceria striata)
• Overcup oak (Quercus lyrata)
• Rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides)
• Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)
• Tussock sedge (Carex stricta)
• Water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica)

Note there are also other good marginal pond plants that will grow in your tiny ponds. Do diligent homework.