[srr5008]

I bought a property last year with a small 1/2 acre pond. I'm hoping that I can draw on other people's pond experience. The pond gets up to 12' deep on one end, but on average it is probably 5-6' deep. It currently provides great habitat for bass, sunfish, dragonflies, ducks, redwing blackbirds... and mosquitoes!

The pond is not swampy - it is spring fed (although the spring usually dries up in the late summer and the water level fluctuates up to a foot). I've got some lily pads, pickerell weeds and a lot of cattails. I think the cattails are my problem - they create a stagnant section of water around the pond that is beneficial to mosquito breeding and I've also read that some mosquitoes lay their eggs in the cattails themselves.

I am slowly working on the battle to remove the cattails. I am keeping my removal on one side for now, because I don't want to eliminate all of my wildlife and fish habitat at once. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for alternative plants to put in the water that would provide cover for fish and other critters? I am looking to avoid planting too straight up weeds as I would also like to use the pond for swimming. I'm also looking for something that can be planted in a decent water depth (12"+). Seems that most of the plants I see online are decorative and meant for 1-3" water depths. My cattails are as deep as 4 feet, and as much as I dislike them, I am hesitant to remove all of that fish habitat until I have some type of replacement in place. Any ideas?

 

[Swamped]

Buy a Aquatic Weed Eradicator Rake...I bought one they make it easier to pull cattails out.Its pricey but a great tool.
My pond I just made openings around the pond by removing cattails but leaving most.
Not sure but think they are good water filters and I like the look of them.

 

[srr5008]

Thanks for the rake suggestion. I've seen them used successfully, but I am pulling them manually to try to remove as much of the roots as I can (and it's been so stinking hot, I don't mind spending time in the water lol). Cutting requires several cuts over time to "drown" the roots, if I'm not mistaken.

While cattails do help filter the water, like all vegetation they release the nutrients back into the water when they die and decay (nitrogen and phosphorus mainly). When they die off, they can actually cause some level of oxygen depletion. Obviously that is an extreme case, as cattails don't negatively impact all the water where they are occurring naturally, but it can happen.

I don't mind how they look, but it is "swampy" in the cattail areas due to the vegetation decay and old stalks that are poking up from the pond bottom. That combined with my mosquito problem is why I am looking for alternatives. I'm just having trouble finding something that isn't a shoreline plant - I want something that grows in a decent water depth to provide cover for minnows, frogs, etc.

 

[Newport-Bill]

This is what I use to kill cattails in my pond - https://www.killlakeweeds.com/products/aquacide-pellets. Kills them without harming the fish. Aslo you can just throw them in where you want them killed and avoid areas where you don't.

I don't have recommendations on what to plant in their place as I never get to a point of no vegetation in mine. Its a full time battle with phragmite being my biggest enemy.

I did build rock piles in my shallows when the water was low. The fish do tend to hang out around them.

 

[Swamped]

Buy the rake TRUST ME...I am poor man but that was money well spent.

Not sure what to tell you about vegetation maybe just build brush pile in water I do that too on 1 side of my pond gives cover for fish...

 

[srr5008]

just build brush pile in water

Old Christmas trees weighted with a cinderblock work well for this too.

 

[tundragriz]

I've got a LOT of hemlock on my property. Haven't had one in the pond for a few years since it started to get overrun with cattails and I knew I had to clean it out, but very easy to cut a medium size hemlock (30') and roll it into the pond with some of the branches well up out of the water. They are fantastic cover for fish, frogs lay their eggs in them, and a resting place for things above the water (snakes, turtles, heron, kingfisher, red wings). Every couple years before it deteriorates I pull out the old one with the tractor and put in a new one.

My pond is not deep and was getting overrun with cattails. A few years ago I went in by hand and removed almost all of them, actually went quicker and easier than I thought except for a sore back from being bent over a few hours a day. Pull them out in an area maybe 15' around me, they float like a big heavy mat, drift them over to the side and toss them out. I left some for cover and aesthetics and so far they really haven't re-propagated. If/when they do I'll do the same thing.

Actually been thinking about putting one in the last few weeks as the water is warm, a new tree blocks a lot of sun.

 

[KingRon]

What about carp? (Sterile Grass carp?) or catfish to help keep the weeds in check??

 

[srr5008]

Supposedly the previous owner (I bought the property last summer) put several carp in there. I don't really have a weed issue, just a cattail issue.

 

[Swamped]

HOW BOUT SOME RAIN...
Was out in my puddle tonite never seen it so low!
Good time to do some work but PLEASE MORE RAIN!

 

[rrroae]

Spray with Gly.


I like used cinder blocks for habitat or you can build some cheap would structure using wire but you have to weigh it down or it'll float and break up with ice.

Here's some pics of our structures to give you ideas.







Rocks also are great.

 

[srr5008]

Nice setup rrroae