Ponds are an important habitat that support many different species, as they are a source of food, water, and shelter. Not only are they aquatic habitats for plants, invertebrates, fish, and more, but there are also various species outside the pond that they impact. Small ponds can range from a quarter to a few acres in size and are abundant in many areas of the world. As a source of food and water, it is vital that ponds are managed appropriately, especially if used for livestock watering or crop irrigation.
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Red farm buildings surrounded by green grass, trees and a pond. The buildings are reflected in the pond water. The pond has a dock.
Pond Watershed
The area of land surrounding a pond that water flows through, is referred to as the pond watershed. Anything that occurs in this area will affect the pond, so it is important to properly manage. Some small ponds will collect runoff from larger springs, seeps, or small streams. This provides relatively clean water for most ponds, but if this source is not available, direct surface runoff from the surrounding land can also be used to maintain the water level.
Since the land outside of the pond impacts the quality of water, the land ideally should be free of sediment, pesticides, and other forms of pollution. This is not always the case, so to prevent these items from entering the water, a buffer strip of vegetation should surround the pond to trap the pollutants before they reach the water.
The water quality can suffer from excessive amounts of nitrogen and other nutrients, often originating from animal or human waste, fertilizers from crop fields, and septic systems. Water drainage from areas with these attributes should be kept away from ponds and any other water source to prevent excessive growth of weeds and algae.
Agricultural Water Runoff in Ponds
The agricultural sector plays a role in protecting water sources. Farmers rely on field drainage systems such as surface drainage or tile drainage, and access to a constant water supply. Surface drainage is the removal of excess water from the land surface when rainfall rates exceed soil capacity, this also helps to avoid soil erosion. Tile drainage refers to a system that removes excess water from below the surface.
One of the main sources of pollution in ponds is runoff from farmland. This runoff can contain nutrients, chemicals used in pest control, organic matter, and other residues and sediments. When cropland water enters waterways as surface runoff, that water also carries essential sediments and nutrients needed for crop health. By improving soil aggregation and farming practices, sediment flow will decrease, and in return water quality will increase. This will result in clearer and higher quality water leaving croplands through the drainage systems and less essential nutrients leaving the soil.
Stormwater runoff from rainfall and snow can also push excess nutrients from fertilizers, animal waste, and pesticides into ponds. To combat stormwater runoff, plants and trees can be added to the landscape to absorb and filter excess water runoff.
Encouraging farmers to look at the link between the water leaving the farm and the water in natural waterways can help reduce soil and nutrient loss on farms and result in healthier pond habitats.
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Water runoff from a field
Water Runoff from Overgrazing
Overgrazing is a result of cattle and livestock grazing excessively, and can lead to an increase in soil erosion, destroy vegetation, and encourage the invasion of undesirable plants. Some preventative measures to reduce the impact of livestock grazing includes keeping livestock out of sensitive areas, providing alternative sources of water, and adjusting grazing intensity. Another common farm practice is irrigation. Though irrigation has various benefits such as protecting crops against freezing and wilting, excessive irrigation can lead to poor water quality due to erosion and the moving of nutrients and pesticides. Measuring crop needs can reduce pollution from irrigation in ponds and reduce the cost to farmers, by wasting less resources.
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Five different cow breeds grazing by a pond
Fertilizer Potentially Causing Unwanted Algae and other Plant Growth
Though fertilizers can enhance the food supply of aquatic life, it can also lead to rapid growth of unwanted weeds and algae. Excessive nutrients in pond water can lead to conditions that can harm or even kill wildlife, as well as endangering the water quality in the pond.
Ponds can be an extensive and beneficial eco-system, but without proper management practices that system can quickly become destructive and difficult to control. Through the better understanding of how ponds function, pond management can become rewarding and easier to maintain, allowing for thriving eco-systems and high-quality water.