Spring flows are a very complicated process - it is difficult to give good advice over the internet!

However, if the spring is sufficient to keep your pond full, then you could divert all surface water flows away from the pond and solve your future silting problems!

At the most basic level, having a spring in the pond is like have a large culvert placed at the same elevation. Your pond will respond fairly rapidly to what is happening to the water level at the opposite end of the culvert. If the spring has a year-round charge of water at a potentiometric surface (water elevation) above the bottom of your pond, then you COULD be good with just the spring.

However, some springs are seasonal. Your flow rate during the dry season could be less than your pond evaporation rate. In that case you will need the surface water flows to keep your pond at a good level.

If your spring potentiometric surface falls far enough during a drought, then the spring could actually serve to drain your pond.

All of what I said above is a little difficult to determine without some long-term experimentation and measurements at your pond site. Therefore, I guess my best advice would be - if you have been happy with the pond level in the past, then don't mess with the spring during the pond renovation.

While doing dirt work for your pond clean out, you could try a little terrace in a good spot to divert the surface water flows. If you determine at a later date that you need that water, it is usually very little work to breach a terrace. (You could even add a water gate if you want control of the surface water.)

I hope that long, winding explanation helps a little bit. Glad you found a good contractor for your pond cleanout.

As regards erosion control, I believe lots of posters on the forum have had good luck with adding some rye to get something growing immediately - which is important. Any of your dense food plot for deer plantings should also serve as good erosion control. Plant the strips perpendicular to your water flow direction. Your goal should be to reduce the velocity of the water. Therefore, more thin strips are a better "bang for your buck" than one larger planting just adjacent to the pond.

Good luck on your renovation!