Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Changing Manure pond to fish pond

I live in western Washington and am decommissioning a manure pond. It is roughly 3/4 acre square, 160' by 160' and is supposed to be 13' deep. It will have no natural flow and will be dependent on the 62" inches of annual rain fall.
Does it make sense to try to make this a fishing pond? If so, how much annual maintenance will it require?

Thanks,

Luther

Can you pump it dry and scrape out the bulk of the manure, or do you think your pond was pretty efficient and the bacteria digested most of it?

I am asking, because a fish pond with that much "fertilizer" may present you some unique challenges.

That said, your dimensions and rainfall are just fine for a good fish pond.

What are your goals for the pond? Being at sea level in Gig Harbor, do you ever get ice covering your pond?

The converted manure to fish ponds that I have worked with have year round green water due to the nutrient accumulated basin. If it turns green be sure to have very adequate aeration or fish kills will occur periodically.

Can you control the manure or is off of your land but flows to it? If from neighbor, can you divert it from the pond?

there is a friend of mine here local that took a lagoon, built for a hog breeding and feeding operation that never materialized, so it actually never had any manure in it, and grows shrimp in it.
Its only about half the size of yours, probably about 80 by 160, and he puts baby shrimp in it in the spring and grows them out in the fall, I think he pumps the water down then gets the shrimp, not sure of the process and all, how he does it but have been the benefactor of his giant shrimp boil in the fall, and they are huge and tasty. have no idea where he sources his baby shrimp in the spring either.

I will scrape the manure from the pond down to 12 inches for plantings

Very little Ice. Just a few days maybe a week.

No more manure will be put into the pond and the current manure will be removed down to 12 inches.

Just realized where you are. I have a Granddaughter and Great Grandkids that live in that area. I’ve been there quite often and am amazed at the amount of rain you get.

If only we could get the rain when we want it. Last couple of summers have been very dry.
Next time your up here feel free to let me know. Maybe we can get you hooked up on a salmon fishing trip..

Luther