Our pond here in the Deep Run Development is a constant source of enjoyment not only for the humans that live here in the Development but also for the animals that live in the pond or come to the pond for food or drink. One can see deer tracks all around the pond as they come usually in the evening to shake a long hot summer day’s thirst. The pond has been stocked with blue gills and some large mouth bass and occasionally a blue heron will stop by looking for his dinner. In the spring, a pair of mallard ducks will raise their family in the grass along the pond.
A pond is governed by Mother Nature but most humans are not content to leave good enough alone. We want to see the pond just like you see ponds in the magazine pictures with crystal clear waters, no algae, and only a few cat-tails along the edge. We have been trying to mange the pond here in the Development with little success. We’ve treated the pond with some PBL bacteria and parley pellets which is supposed to keep the algae growth at bay and have been testing the water quality all summer. The quality of the water has remained good but we have had ample rainfall this summer. A good source of information on ponds in the Finger Lakes is WillowPond AquaFarms (click here).
The cat-tails are out of control and need to be treated with some herbicide in order to cut back their growth. And some aquatic grass seems to have taken control of the surface. In spite of all of the difficulties, our pond remains a source of enjoyment here in the Finger Lakes.
James R. Bupp