5 Benefits of Pond Dredging

Most people consider dredging a pond a last resort rather than preventative maintenance. This statement is especially true for those who manage HOA and golf course ponds. The ponds look unsightly with weeds and algae or emanate a foul odor, which prompts the company to call the dredging company.

Dredging ponds as part of an annual preventive maintenance plan is good for the health and aesthetics of the pond and for property values. The problem is that the conditions that create unsightly ponds tend to creep up on you. It's already too late when you start wondering if you should call the dredging company.

We'll examine ponds, their life cycles, and the benefits of regularly dredging them.

Life Cycle of a Pond

Some say nature abhors a vacuum, and we can sometimes apply this logic to ponds. From the minute they're created and filled with water by man, the clock starts ticking on the pond's inevitable demise. Unless humans regularly intervene and perform maintenance, the pond will eventually dry up as the years go by.

At the beginning of the pond's lifecycle, birds bring organic materials such as weeds, algae, and even eggs to the pond. As the months go by, the wind blows leaves and other matter into the pond. This organic matter eventually sinks to the bottom of the pond, where it accumulates in the deep end.

From the shallows to about 3 feet deep live the aerobic bacteria. They do an excellent job of quickly dissolving organic solids. When the solids reach the deep end or "bowl" of the pond, they accumulate rapidly. The anaerobic bacteria that live there cannot dissolve the solids fast enough, and toxic and foul-smelling byproducts such as phosphates, sulfur dioxide, methane, and other gases start to form and escape the pond. In the meantime, the increased phosphate count will contribute to a massive algae bloom and increased water weeds.

If left to its own devices, the pond will eventually begin to shrink and dry up—but not before it becomes a smelly, unsightly eyesore. It will then transform into a swamp, then a marsh, and finally, dry land will reclaim the entire pond area; this is a pond's life cycle and is entirely natural.

Nowadays, most ponds are for aesthetic purposes. As such, they reside in local neighborhoods and golf courses. These structures are meant to brighten up an otherwise d and provide habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife.

Preventative maintenance must occur regularly to keep a pond healthy and looking great. Aerators and natural springs will help prolong the pond's life, but unless man intervenes, Mother Nature will eventually reclaim what is rightfully hers.

Benefits to Dredging

Dredging a pond as part of a preventive maintenance program offers many benefits. However, chemicals, beneficial bacteria, aerators, and other gizmos will only help so much. Eventually, the organic material at the bottom will accumulate so much that the only viable option is to dredge. By this point, the pond's overall health has decreased dramatically, and it can take months, if not years, to return to health.

Here are three benefits to dredging a pond as part of a preventative maintenance program:

1. Increased Property Values—Many homeowner associations, golf courses, and other commercial areas have multiple ponds on their property. Properly maintained ponds look good and increase the property value of the surrounding areas. The University of Maine performed a study showing that water clarity improved property values from $11/ft. To $200/ft.
2. Creates Valuable Topsoil—Dredged organic matter can often be used as valuable top soil. This soil helps nourish trees, grass, and other plants. Due to its high water content, it will also disperse quickly and evenly.
3. Improves Ecosystem Health—Improved water quality is key to a healthy pond that can self-regulate. It helps increase the overall count of beneficial bacteria, which in turn helps reduce the amount of solid organic waste at the bottom.

It also improves the quality of life for fish and other aquatic plants and animals. Enhancing property values can be directly tied back to improving fishing opportunities. A neighborhood with a healthy and good-looking fishing pond can dramatically increase the property values of the surrounding area.

Some sediment dredged from the bottom of the pond contains hazardous pollutants caused by industrial runoff. Once this hazardous material is removed, the pond's overall health will improve.

3 Warning Signs That it's time to Dredge

If regular dredging of your ponds isn't part of your preventative maintenance schedule, then here are three signs that indicate it's time to dredge the pond:

1. Weed growth—Weeds and other plant life are a natural part of a healthy pond. When the entire pond starts to become more weed than water, it's time to dredge it. The increased phosphate levels created when organic matter starts decaying will start a chain reaction of plant and algae growth that cannot effectively be reversed by any other means.
2. Low water clarity—Even if weeds haven't started overtaking the pond, dirty or murky water is another sign that the sediment at the bottom of the pond is due for removal. When the water takes a longer than usual time to clear after a heavy rain, it's a sure sign that the pond needs dredging. Murky water negatively affects the aesthetics of the surrounding areas.
3. Foul odors—If golf course guests or residents start complaining about a "rotten egg smell," the harmful byproducts that occur when organic matter decomposes have reached critical mass. Often, it will require major work to remove all of the rotting sediment that has accumulated over the years.

Managing the ponds for a golf course or HOA is a never-ending maintenance battle. Putting harmful chemicals or expensive aerators in the pond usually only slows down Mother Nature's natural process of reclaiming land from the water. Starting a preventative maintenance dredging program will not only ensure the health and well-being of your pond for decades to come, but it will exponentially increase property values all around.

If your pond is starting to look unsightly, or you'd like to learn more about dredging as part of a preventative maintenance program, call us at (817) 377-8512.