Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Trophic Status is this a viable strategy?

esshup,

You mentioned the pond receives water from tiling. Have you ever tested the water coming in for nutrients like P? In know sediments carry substantial nutrients when they wash out of fields but does water filtered by the soil have a similar issue? I would think the water from the tiles is usually clear but ... maybe not? Does timing influence things? For example late winter as compared late summer.

There are a pair of ponds nearby that I enjoy with my kids a lot. Like anthropic's water ... these ponds produce more BPW than would be ideal. But since September began it has dwindled producing a very good bloom. That bloom has subsequently subsided and a person can see right down to the bottom. Saw quite a number of fair sized LMB and larger BG but what seems to be in much shorter supply are the BG YOY. I bring these ponds up because filtration is an issue in our area and these ponds along with many others are fed water. I am unsure of the source, for example, whether they have set sumps in the nearby creek or if the water is potable water from the city distribution system. I'd like to think they are not using potable water. My sense is that the accumulation of nutrients in these ponds arise from frequent top offs of new water from the system they use to fill the ponds (although I also observed a fertilizer broadcast for the benefit of the surrounding turf a couple of years ago of a pelleted fertilizer). But anyways the accumulation of nutrients are evident in denser growth of submerged weeds each year.

One of the things I notice is that before a filling is complete there is a noticeable uptick in bloom that persists for a while subsequent to the water addition. It makes sense that nutrients may be coming from the water influx but I wonder if it can account for all of it. Another possibility that has occurred to me is that the relatively cold water entering the pond(s) is sinking to the deepest portions turning over the pond a bit allowing oxygen to reach decaying organics lifted from the bottom. What are your thoughts? Could a mild turnover of sorts stimulate the cycling of nutrients? I would mention that in this pond, the growth of BPW could impact the oxygen richness of the benthos and my sense is that it is affected enough to inhibit good nutrient cycling when the BPW is very high in standing weight. Each year now it is able to grow to the surface in many parts of the pond. To this end I do wonder if the BPW is harming the potential of these ponds to grow food naturally in the forms that BG need to mark really good growth. The lower pond particularly once produced 9" + BG but its been a while since I have seen one that large.