In the meantime I was wondering if anybody here has any information that could help us. We are very concerned about mosquitos as we have three children and a dog. They are already all over the pond. Now the water in this pond is not entirely stagnant as there is some run off from the mountain behind us, but we do also have some stagnant areas in the yard do to the run off as well. The water drains from the mountain into the pond and down a small creek next to our driveway to a drainage system. I think this pond may also be tied into our well somehow which is again why we are concerned about treating the mosquitos etc.

Also, there are about 1 zillion tadpoles in this pond! It is crazy! You walk along the edge and see them all scatter. I am not sure if this should be a concern though. I like frogs as long as they are not those bull frogs that are gonna keep me up all night!!! And there are a tone of leaves at the bottom of the pond. Is there a way to clean this without actually getting in? I have no intensions of getting in this pond ever! My husband pulled out the biggest leach I have ever seen... yuck!!!

To make a long story short, we want to make this pond beautiful and we want to make it safe for our children and pets. We are thinking of stocking fish in the pond but I am a little concerned that they may go down the drainage pipe and end up somewhere they shouldn't be and the last thing I want to do is mess with the environment.

Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance and have a great weekend!

- Cassandra

I have no good advice as I have a tiny 160 gallon pond, but yours sure sounds like a fabulous challenge.

I imagine you will get responses from others who have experience with large ponds.

Good luck. Let us know what happens. I'd love to see photos of what you do with it.
Anne

I would screen the outflow of your pond and put in fish. I would also make sure no sewage from the surrounding land will drain into the pond--maybe dig ditches to divert drainage streams away, or into settling ponds. Then I would plant lilies and throw in some oxygenators, plants that grow in the shallows underwater.

I wouldn't throw in catfish or goldfish, out of concern for turbidity. I'm going to throw sunfish into mine, because they mass-multiply and may outgrow possible predators. The frogs will be no problem. The bullfrogs I like, but may eat the little peeper frogs. I would be more concerned than anything else about the location of your well in proximity with this pond, in case the pond is polluted and reaches your drinking water. The danger here to me is feces from animals reaching your well and running down along the pipe and into your drinking water.

I don't think you need to worry about cleaning out all the leaves and debris from your pond, unless you're worried about your pond eventually disappearing, or unless you want to wade/swim in the pond, without sinking deep down in the muck.
Randy

Until you can get some decent information about your pond you need to take some precautions. The mosquitos do need to be controlled and I am sure there will be some information in that packet that is on it's way to you. Make sure there are no containers that contain water that will allow mosquitos to breed. If there are some you can't drain get some Mosquito Dunks. They can even be used in low spots where there is standing water. They are harmless to humans and pets and insects other than mosquitos and black flies.

Ask what fish you can stock in the pond. Bluegills seem to be popular here for larger ponds and a relative of the guppy called the mosquito fish are often given away by your local health department for mosquito control. Fish and the frogs are great natural controls of mosquitos. Mosquitos don't lay eggs in moving water. Look into a pump if at all possible.

If the kids and dogs must go out they need protection. Most states recommend products containing Deet but it can be controversial. Check with the Doctor and Vet. Many mosquito bites can cause a nasty allergic reaction. Ask your Doctor if you can give them Benedryl for bad reactions. My sons and I develop hives if there are too many bites. The Vet can give you info on how much Benedryl to give to your dogs and cats. They can be allergic too.

If the water smells stagnant, it needs aeration. Circulation will cause the leaves to migrate to lower spots where they can be removed easier. It is not an easy task but buildup will hurt water quality. A pump may sound expensive but it may be your best option. Then think about what kind of plants you can add if your Extension agent recommends it. Any sort of turbulence will add oxygen to the water. It needs to go 24/7 to be effective.

I'm sure your local Extension and the DNR will be helpful to you. There are commercial companies out there that can give you advice and even maintain the pond for you. They do cost a lot though.

Not all advice for water gardens and fish ponds is the same for a drainage pond.

Most County Extension Services (offices) are tied to the state land-grant universities and other branches of government, those dealing with wildlife and forestry, home and farm, etc. They are usually receiving funding thru those institutions in some way and maybe the local county/city. I just know I often go in to talk to the resident experts at the CES and they are either going to the agriculture college to pick something up or drop something off.

They can take water samples, for instance, and have them analyzed for you. They can do the same with soils, etc. Sometimes a small fee is involved, but I'm really surprised and delighted when they tell me that they "are involved with a grant program and as long as I'm within the program area there's no cost" to me. Great.

I've had some other issues around my small quarter acre parcel of land and they've set up an appointment and come to pay a visit. They usually take notes, samples, and give me a follow-up letter. Nice.

I would get to know some of the people there in NH, I'm sure they know more about your struggles & worries, even more than you can imagine.