First off, Hello everyone! This is my first post on PB. I have been reading your forums for some time now (soaking in as much as I can) I recently had a dam built across some rolling hills in my pasture. the pond should be approx. .5 acre when full. It will be a beautiful addition to our humble abode.

A couple days after the finish of our pond, we had a "gully washer", 5.25 inches of rain in about 48 hours. The pond is a little over 4 ft deep now but the water is a very muddy/clay red color. I took two mason jars full, placed one in my shed to see if it would settle, which it didnt, the other I tried the vinager method, it was clear in about 8 hours.
My question is this: Should I worry about putting the bales of alfalfa in the pond to settle the water now or not worry about it untill the pond is full (10 ft)? The dam and watershed is seeded down with fescue and oats as a cover (all coming up nicely)
I put 3 pounds of fatheads in and have noticed approx 20 dead since putting them in the pond. Is the muddy water causing this?
Anyway, thanks for all the information that this site provides!

Dave, what are your observations on clarity of ponds in your surrounding area? Do other nearby ponds have problems with suspended sediment/colloidal clay issues?

Welcome to the forum. Keep good notes of all your do. Your situation could end up benefiting many of the rest of us.

Bruce

Bruce,
Other ponds in my area are very clear, but they are established ponds, several years old.
I figure I'm just jumping the gun, wanting the 'perfect pond' right now! I guess time will tell. Thanks for showing intrest.


Dave

I'd like to see you take a moment to discuss with your local NRCS if there are any variations in soil types local to you that may affect the soil particle size in your watershed. You may be right that patience will pay, but there is also a chance of a more insidious problem.

Have you heard of alum? There is a possibility that a water chemistry anomaly is influencing your particle suspension.

There's no crime in wanting the perfect pond right now. It may or may not be practical, but why not try?

Pond Boss will give you a chance to compress the learning curve. By the way, I wouldn't personally worry about the fathead mortality just yet. You can lose that many even in the best of circumstances.

Dave welcome to the PB forum. I agree with Bruce. Your county or NRCS agent might come out and look if you call. Here is a link to a situation where fatheads (FH) did well with little visibility.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=002772;p=1#000007

Here is some info from the Miss. Pond Mgt. Book but note the last line.

Muddy or Turbid Water
Muddy or turbid water limits fish production because basic fish food organisms must have sunlight to grow. Silt and mud deposits also cover fish eggs and fill the pond. Controlling the erosion in a pond's watershed is essential for permanent control of most muddy water problems. In ponds that stay muddy because of suspended clay particles, use any of the following methods:

Apply 20 pounds of triple superphosphate (0-46-0) per acre at 2- to 3-week intervals. This should be well dissolved in solution.
Use 10 square bales of hay per acre. Break up the bales and shake out into the water. When water clears, return to your regular fertilization program. Use caution during summer months since decomposition of the hay may also lead to oxygen depletions.
Apply 5-15 pounds of alum per surface acre of water.
Use gypsum at the rate of 15 to 35 pounds per 1,000 cubic feet of pond water. Spread the gypsum from a boat over the pond surface and stir with an outboard motor. The gypsum will keep the water clear as long as the gypsum is not washed from the pond. When used according to recommendations, it will not kill fish, change the pH of the water, or harm livestock.
If livestock are muddying your pond, fence off the pond and install drinking troughs below the pond.

If the water in your pond stays milky, apply 75 pounds of cottonseed meal and 25 pounds of superphosphate per acre each time you apply the other fertilizer until the water clears. When the water clears, return to your regular fish pond fertilization program.

Consult your local Natural Resources Conservation Service office for erosion control techniques and suggestions.

Welcome aboard, Dave

In my experience all new ponds will be muddy when first filling...especially after a 5 inch rain. It is to be expected. I wouldn't worry at all until well after the pond is full and vegetation is well established around the pond. I've seen a bunch of that Missouri red clay myself down in Greene county, so know what you mean.

I'm interested in your stocking plans beyond the fatheads, if you are inclined to discuss. Thanks.

The bales of alfalfa will do the trick to clear your water. Good clover hay will work just as good and is much cheaper. Use 2 bales added at 3-4 week intervals. The hay won't help much until pond is full or banks are fully grassed.

I would like to thank all of you for your input, this is a valuable site.

Meadowlark, to answer your ?, I am following the MDC guidelines and stocking BG and CC in the fall and LMB in the following June.
As far as NRCS help, My ex's new husband is the one in charge, so I dont always get the best info I need there.

Dave

Uugghh , now that is a new and unexpected answer. How about your Mo. county extension agent. Surely he/she is not your X's brother or sister.

Dave,

You can't go wrong with those guidelines....but as EWEST ( ) said, another info source might be good.

ewest , could you give more info on the type of alum for 5 to 15 lbs per surface acre , pond is just shy of an acre. i know this would be a temp fix. my pond is very clear in spring , about 2' to 2'6". when the fish start to spawn and eat , she goes to about 1'. i have perch stiring up the bottom looking for larve , CC clearing areas for resting on the bottom (been removing alot of big CC) , BG and LMB spawning. everything combined is making the pond muddy. in the fall she starts to clear back up. well needless to say ken is not happy. there's about 1" of loose clay on the pond bottom. do you think adding benonite would firm up the bottom some? i saw a plant in one pond that grew about 3" or 4" high , covering the bottom of the pond. any idea of what this is ( I'll try to get a pic of it)or something like it i could plant. thank you

Glad to provide some sources. I have never used alum so I will leave the pratical advice to those who have. It is contained in the PB posts below see Bob Lusk et als comments in the 3rd link -- PB2 below. The last link has a section on alum. The first and last links go over several options.

clearing muddy ponds

http://wildlife.tamu.edu/publications/taexponds/0905a.pdf

PB1

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=001176#000001

PB2

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=001127#000008


Calculating Treatments for Ponds and Tanks
http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/11830457-410fs.pdf temp pdf

Control of Clay Turbidity in Ponds
http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/11830457-460fs.pdf temp pdf
or here under turbidity http://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm?catid=25