Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Water chemistry Water Analysis, Liming and Flow Questions

Pond of ~4 acres (~3 acres ~6-8 feet deep with ~1 acre of 1-2 feet at the head of the pond) in far southern Georgia. Water reports this summer showed pH 5.05-5.24, hardness 4-6 ppm, alkalinity 1 ppm.

1) The report accompanying the water analysis from UGA recommended ~2.5 tons dolomitic lime per acre. But I have read of others whose water analysis was better in each of these indicators who added considerably more lime per acre (e.g. ten tons per acre) and still came up short of ideal.
2) There is a large beaver swamp directly above the pond that is 10-11 acres with an average depth of perhaps 2-3 feet. We try to draw this down annually (spring/early summer 4-6 inches at a time over a period of weeks). This seems like a fair amount of water to be flushing through the pond given its size. Is this going to make liming ineffective?
3) Would adding lime at the culvert linking the beaver swamp to the pond during drawdown of the swamp be an effective method of liming the pond (or at least the head of it)? I know dumping lime in a single site isn't terribly effective in still water, but does that hold true when there is a good flow?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Answers in red.

1) The report accompanying the water analysis from UGA recommended ~2.5 tons dolomitic lime per acre. But I have read of others whose water analysis was better in each of these indicators who added considerably more lime per acre (e.g. ten tons per acre) and still came up short of ideal.

With those #s you could use 10 tons per acre especially given the water run through volume noted. You will not over apply ag lime in your situation with 10 tons per acre. I would suggest doing so in 2 applications - now and in 3-4 months. FYI it is highly unlikely you will reach ideal alkalinity of 200ppm but if you can get to 30ppm and stay there or above you should be good.

2) There is a large beaver swamp directly above the pond that is 10-11 acres with an average depth of perhaps 2-3 feet. We try to draw this down annually (spring/early summer 4-6 inches at a time over a period of weeks). This seems like a fair amount of water to be flushing through the pond given its size. Is this going to make liming ineffective?

No but will increase the need to maintain 20+ alkalinity. Don't add water runoff for at least 3 weeks after liming.


3) Would adding lime at the culvert linking the beaver swamp to the pond during drawdown of the swamp be an effective method of liming the pond (or at least the head of it)? I know dumping lime in a single site isn't terribly effective in still water, but does that hold true when there is a good flow?

It would help but the amounts needed would be large and continuing. For first application (10 tons) spread around pond bottom or over as much of the pond surface as possible. Spreader truck or boat application are good.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks very much for the straight-forward response.