Pond and Lake Water Quality
Ponds are a lot like vegetable gardens. The vegetables like to have a rich soil with a balanced pH and ample nutrients for growth. So do ponds. If the pH is skewed, or if nutrients are limited, you tend to get poor growth of fish. Luckily, you can manage ponds just like vegetable gardens by liming to fix pH and fertilizing to add nutrients. This will improve the productivity of ponds that are limited by one or the other.
You do not measure water pH to see if you have a problem. You need to measure alkalinity, which is the buffering capacity of water. If alkalinity is fine, pH is usually fine. However, if alkalinity is low, pH can swing between high and low in a 24-hour period.
Although fertilization can increase productivity, it is not necessary in many ponds because the pond is naturally fertile or fishing harvest is too low. A fertilizer program is costly, time-consuming, and increases the risks of problems with low oxygen. This can lead to fish kills. You should give careful consideration to whether or not to begin a fertilization program because, once you start, you must continue it year after year.
To maintain your pond’s water quality in optimal condition for fish, read more about pH and alkalinity, fertilization, and dissolved oxygen.
News
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The presence of a water source on private land can make a property much more desirable for several reasons. Whether it’s a lake, pond, stream or river, a water source provides opportunities for recreation, development, agricultural production, and wildlife and fisheries habitat.
A key aspect of maintaining the value of the water resource is ensuring that it is protected and used wisely.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Summer has arrived, and your pond is heating up!
The surface water of local ponds feels like freshly run bath water, but it gets cold deeper in the pond. In the peak of summer, surface water temperatures in a deep pond can be in the low to mid 90s, while the deepest areas might still be in the lower 70s.
Some plant species found in ponds can multiply and interfere with pond use and fish management, but not all water plants are bad.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Recreation in and around water is a great way to get outside in the warmer months and still stay cool. Whether you enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, kayaking, wildlife watching, exploring creeks and streams, or paddling coastal bays and estuaries, Mississippi’s waterways have a lot to offer.
