Prepare your pond for winter

There's No Better Time Than Now to Prepare Your Ponds for Winter

Early fall is a great time to spend a few days preparing your HOA or golf course ponds for the upcoming winter freeze. The effort you put in now will extend benefits far beyond winter and spring. There are a few critical pond maintenance tasks you should accomplish during the fall months, which will allow your pond to flourish once the spring thaw arrives. Read on to learn more about how to save time, money, and headaches by performing a few simple pond maintenance tasks in the fall.

Dredge Your Ponds

Fall is the ideal time to call in the pond dredging experts to remove the huge pile of organic muck at the bottom. Dredging will significantly reduce the chances of a nuisance algae outbreak in the warm summer months, improve the pond's overall health, and deepen the shallow areas. You can also repurpose the organic muck that you remove from the bottom as rich fertilizer for plants, trees, and grass. No pond is too big or too small for our team—we work on backyard ponds and large bodies of water such as lakes and bays. Our experienced and professional pond dredgers will work hard to help ensure the lifespan of your ponds.

Remove Fallen Leaves

One of the biggest causes of nuisance algae and invasive plant outbreaks in the summertime is the massive amount of organic muck sitting at the bottom of your pond. The oxygen levels at these depths cannot support the beneficial bacteria that break down the organic matter. As the leaves start falling off the trees surrounding your pond, the wind and rain will pick them up and carry them to the water. Eventually, they will become waterlogged and sink to the bottom of the pond, where they will become part of the organic muck that gives off tremendous amounts of nutrients that feed nuisance algae and plants. If you don't have the staffing to keep up with raking fallen leaves, you can try adding a vegetation buffer that extends 3-4 feet from the shoreline. It will trap some loose organic matter that might otherwise make its way into the bottom of your pond.

Check Mechanical Devices

Aquifers, pumps, and miscellaneous mechanical gear can take a beating in cold winter temperatures. Ice can penetrate sensitive parts of the devices and cause them to become irreparably damaged. If you have pumps that act as a life support system by providing oxygen to your pond, the last thing you want is to perform repairs on a 10-degree winter morning. Consider purchasing spare parts for the mechanical devices in your pond. Shipping times are often significantly delayed due to extreme winter weather. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and wait 3-4 months to receive it. If your pond has floating fountains, check the seals for integrity. Replace the seals every 2-3 years. If your area has freezing winter temperatures, you should bring these fountains in for storage before the first freeze.

Repair the Shorelines

When did you last take a good, hard look at your shorelines? If you have a vegetative buffer zone, it could be chock full of loose leaves and other organic debris that will find its way into the pond after a short gust of wind. Look for eroded zones along the shoreline. It's best to perform this kind of work in the fall when the temperatures are reasonable. You can easily seed and plant these areas to help stabilize the surrounding soil.

Stock Fish

Fall is a great season to add some cold-water fish like trout to your pond. These fish are not only easy to catch but also thrive in chilly water. On the other hand, warm water fish like largemouth bass tend to slow down their metabolism and eat less during the winter season. If your pond lacks proper food, you can supplement their diet with store-bought bass pellets. Remember to add only a small quantity, as excess food will accumulate at the pond's bottom and contribute to the organic muck.

Nationwide Pond Dredging

A little preventative maintenance goes a long way when it comes to keeping your HOA or golf course ponds looking great. At American Underwater Services, we can help restore health and beauty to your ponds through our pond dredging services. Our professional and expert dredgers can travel anywhere in the country. Call us at (817) 377-8512 or fill out this form to learn more about the dredging and pond maintenance services that we offer.