We have a newly dug 2-acre pond that has been filling nicely since about August. From the beginning of the fill, there have been areas (maybe 6-8, some small and slow,some bigger and faster) of bubbling in the center or deepest part of the pond. This area seems to be where the trees and debris were burned. These bubbling areas are constant. What are they? This pond is fed with run-off streams (it is in a wooded area). There was no spring that we knew of. Any advice is appreciated. We want to be able to stock it in the future. Thanks!

Those bubbles are from gas being released from the soil and/or decaying organic matter. I wouldn't worry too much about it, unless you are still seeing bubbles in a year. My bet is that it will go away. It's not a problem, it's normal.

I'm wondering if there might be some air pockets where the debris was buried. I've seen this if you have an air pocket around the roots of a transplanted tree when you add a lot of water. Either way I agree with Bob, nothing to worry about.

Claybird

HERE IN CENTRAL IL. WE HAVE ALOT OF METHANE GAS IN THE GROUND. I BUILT MY POND FIFTEEN YEARS AGO AND THE GAS IS STILL BUBBLING UP. IN THE WINTER TIME IT WILL KEEP THE ICE FROM FROMING IN A SMALL AREA.


TROLL

Thanks to everyone for their responses. We will try not worry about it, but re the methane possibility - would that do any harm to aquatic life or wildlife? How would that affect the fertility of the pond?

It has been 4 months since I posted about the bubbling in our pond. There are still these 7-8 areas of constant bubbling in the deepest part of our 1.5-acre pond. I plan on taking some photos and bringing them to the conference this month along with our water quality testing results. The pond is still a bit muddy but at full pool. Any more thoughts about what these darn bubbles are? Still just air escaping from debris? The area where the most bubbling occurs did not totally freeze over this winter.

It's very curious, but probably not harmful.

The usual bubbles are normally very irregular, an ddon't last more than a few days or weeks. You may have a large source of methane (natural gas)there.

isnt radon an issue in some parts back east?

if you did have some weird stuff like radon or carbon monoxide, and assuming the pond is in a low spot, would it be feasible to get a (free) check from the county (for human health and safety reasons), have a county guy to come out and test for methane, radon, and CO?

i think i'd want to at least know if it was normal air trapped from pond construction or something else.

Any limestone pockets under ground?

I think you answered your own question when you said that the bubbles seem to be coming from where trees and debris are buried. It's just the methane from the stuff decaying. It could go on for a couple of years, but it's nothing to worry about.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on this. I wish I could believe it was just decaying organic matter, but it has been doing this since it started to fill. I would think the debris would not have started to decay yet! As far as limestone deposits, there is a lot of limestone in this county. The creeks have slabs of it exposed, and we found one large limestone boulder in a recently cleared area of our tillable land. Is limestone causing the bubbling? Does that equate to a leak in the future?

Mine lasteed about a year

Heh! try to trap some in a bag and see if she burns or goes boom, But do this from a distance so that nobody is burned or dismantled, Atleast thats what I would do. But, I have been known to say hold my beer and watch this! if that gives you any idea about my advice.

Trials,

I'm shooting from the hip on this one but does "Darwin Award" mean anything to you??

I don't think the limestone itself will bubble but I was thinking you may have some openings in the limestone layer that were exposed unknowingly by the excavation. However you'd probably be seeping too.

HEHEHE! Russ, I had a good time reading the Pond Boss trial and errors of life forum and laughed at alot of them shaking my head saying, Yep did that! Yep made my brother do that!

Thought I would give an update on my bubbling situation. It has been 4 years now...still have the same areas of bubbles in the deep end of my 2-acre pond! We now think they're due to air/water escaping the limestone beneath the pond. There has never been any seepage/leaking and the water level doesn't drop drastically during dry spells. Water temp around the bubbling areas is colder than other areas. Those areas don't freeze over in the winter. BTW I didn't take Trialsguy's advice but was tempted. I love science experiments...

There's a creek by my house that has a bike trail bridge over it. Everyone says it's haunted because the water bubbles.. It's been bubbling for atleast the 15 years I've known of it.

So have you ever seen a ghost there? Maybe it's ghosts passing gas in the creek!

You might test the contents of those bubbles. Who knows, you might become the next Jed Clampett.