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At the District, one of the most frequent pond related problems we are called about involves aquatic weeds. Landowners have a number of alternatives for addressing pond aquatic vegetation ranging from traditional chemical controls to newer biological methods. Regardless of the treatment method you select, it is important to answer some very fundamental questions.
How much vegetation do you want to control ? Before you start eliminating aquatic vegetation from your pond, you need to consider the balance between excessive weed growth and the need for a plant population which will sustain your fish population. While there is no hard fast rule for how much vegetation to leave, the GCSWCD would always recommend that any vegetation control be done carefully, and in stages. Treatment methods which eliminate all aquatic vegetation will ruin any hope you have of maintaining a good pond fisheries What Types of Weeds do You Have ? Prior to selecting a treatment strategy, it is necessary to identify the types of weeds you have present in your pond. In general, aquatic plants can be grouped as emmergent (i.e. cattails), submergent (I.e. millfoil) and then there are the various forms of algae. Since most treatment methods are not effective on all plant species, proper identification is critical. You may be assisted in your classification of the weeds by one of the many web sites available such as the Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide How big is your pond ? Implementation of an effective pond management program requires a knowledge of both the volume and surface acre of your pond. Most landowners who request the districts assistance have no idea how deep their ponds are, and this can be critical information for a number of reasons. Calculation of your ponds dimensions is fairly simple, and North Carolina Cooperative Extension has an excellent website with step by step directions for making these measurements. |
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