Landowners Learn How to Manage Fish Ponds at Workshop

Bastrop, Texas - April 21, 2008.  More than 90 landowners attended the Fish Pond Management Workshop last Wednesday in Bastrop.

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) employees, Eddie Garcia-Austin Field Office and Robert Martinez-Lockhart Field Office, provided information on pond location, design and construction. They told attendees there are several factors to consider in planning and deciding where to locate a pond, including pond use, and soil type due to the water holding capacity of the soil since some soils hold water better than others. Also, what to do if a questionable soil is found in the excavated area, such as digging through the soil layer then back filling and compacting with good clayey soils.

Other items to consider include a good vegetative cover around the pond, drainage area, and proper location of emergency spillway. They also emphasized that the landowner or contractor needs to call the One-Call Board of Texas at (800) 545-6005 more than 48 hours prior to construction to ensure there are no buried gas lines, utility cables or water lines where they will digging the new pond. Landowners also need to check with their county to see if construction permits are required. They also reminded attendees to work with their neighbors and NRCS to ensure the pond has proper drainage and that the permanent water level does not back up onto their neighbor’s property or any road and that additional pond information can be provided by the NRCS personnel in the Bastrop or Austin Field Offices.

Peter Woods, Aquaculture Program Specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Bay City, spoke on aquatic plants and control, fertility, clearing muddy ponds and renovations. He also identified aquatic plants that landowners brought with them and answered questions on how to handle clearing up some of the various types of aquatic plants that overtake many ponds such as filamentous algae and coon tail. Woods stressed the need to correctly identify problematic aquatic vegetation prior to selecting or applying a herbicide. Besides unwanted aquatic weeds, Woods also answered questions about how to deal with undesirable fish that compete for feed and space with fish that landowners want to have in their ponds. He also discussed what to consider in balancing pond use for livestock, fish production and recreation. Woods also urged attendees to read labels and only use products that say on the label they are approved for aquatic use.

NRCS State Wildlife Biologist Russell Castro, and Zone 3 Wildlife Biologist, Garry Stephens, discussed fish stocking rates, harvesting and pond balance. They also discussed how the size of a pond and the landowner’s management goals determine what actions are taken. The best way to keep tabs on the pond is fishing it to see what you are catching. Keeping “Catch Records” of the number and sizes of each species caught during each fishing trip to help the landowner and biologist with evaluating the fish and pond health year round. Harvest can then be monitored to determine when restocking and/or restrictions to certain species become necessary. Landowner/land manager’s goals and objectives are important when making pond management decisions, such as catching larger fish or more fish.

There were several publications and sites discussed at the workshop to assist landowners with pond planning and management that are available through the Internet:

Ponds – Planning, Design and Construction (PDF; 2 MB)

The AQUAPLANT website helps pond owners in the identification and management of aquatic vegetation.

Texas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society - Texas Farm Ponds: Stocking, Assessment, and Management Recommendations (PDF; 359 KB)

Texas Parks and Wildlife -  Managing Your Private Lake

The Bastrop County Soil and Water Conservation District co-sponsored the fish pond management workshop and also took orders for stocking fish. They will be taking fish orders through May 15, contact Smitty Covey at (512) 321-2489 ext. 3.

If you would like more information on the workshop discussion or how NRCS can assist you in conservation planning including fish pond management, contact Bastrop County NRCS District Conservationist, Michael Raney at (512) 321-2489 ext. 3.

The workshop was also sponsored by the Bastrop County AgriLife Extension Service.

Stephen Brown and his son, Caleb, learn about fish pond management techniques to make improvements to the four ponds on their property in Paige. Stephen is teaching Caleb, who is homeschooled, what is needed to one day operate the family farm.	NRCS State Wildlife Biologist, Russell Castro, conducting a test on the pond water of one of the workshop participants to determine the pH of the water.	NRCS Zone Wildlife Biologist, Garry Stephens describes the differences between desirable and undesirable forage species. Shown here is a Green Sunfish, which is considered to be undesirable in a farm pond.

Contact

Melissa Blair, Public Affairs Specialist, Corpus Christi
Phone: 361-241-0609
 

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