Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants Is there a plant that helps control silting in a smaller pond?

I recently purchased a pond that I have had access to for a few years. I have noticed that on the inlet creek end of this narrow pond, it is beginning to silt in with large rains. Is there some plant that I can seed in there that will slow this effect?

I should mention that this pond is completely surrounded by heavy trees, with the exception of the dam. The areas in need of erosion control are in the shade?

I was thinking cattails, but I read somewhere that they survive by breaking down and filling in deeper areas to create more habitat?

any suggestions?

thanks,
CS

anything?

I doubt anything you plant there will slow or stop 'silting up' quite the reverse, any plants going in there will slow the water currents, encoraging more suspended particles to settle... the roots and shoots of plants will help to trap leaves in large numbers. Sounds like you have 'eutrophic' conditions overloading there... too much stuff piling up and going off, creating acid conditions and low oxygen levels most of the time...

It could well be time to dredge the area of years of accumulated tree litter, establish a neat water margin say with untreated timbers to create a bank, perhaps plant it with a range of aquatics to make niches for local critters and fish to recolonise what was headed to be a swamp where little would thrive more than mosquitoes and molluscs

Cat tails would be last on the list to plant there, massively invasive, the pond would soon be not only lost, it would be beyond redemption, lol. Are you some sort of property developer trying to infill an aquatic habitat?

Regards, Andy

Andy, thanks for the reply. I am just a landowner, no developing going on here. I bought 17 acres that included this pond. Currently the pond is 300 yards long, and 60 yards wide (approx) at its biggest point near the dam. It is 13-18 feet deep near the dam and drops very sharply only feet from shore. It is spring fed, and the water level never fluctuates except after big rains when it goes up for a short period of time. The pond has been here for several years, but I am afraid of how long it will last with layers and layers of leaves on the bottom, and the silting problems.

thanks again, CS

If its any guide, ponds collect sediment (gunk) at the rate of 6" depth a year, more if it collects every leaf in town... The more years it accumulates, the bigger the job it will be in the future. If you have a couple of points where an excavator can trot along to and have sessions dredging a deep area, the sediment removed is real good for improving land for crops



Regards, Andy

organic sediment can be naturally digested by allowing natural bacteria, microorganisms, and insects to live on the bottom where it collects. This is one application for an aeration system. There are other tricks to do to limit influx of material. There are also a few companies that can bring a pumping truck in and suck the sediment out in IL and WI. fishmgr@hotmail.com

Thanks for the info.!!