SFR Poconos Pond Rehab

Sorta fishing-related
I love watching the progress with your little pond. If duck production is a goal, I would avoid largemouth bass as they love dining on newly hatched ducklings. Your pond should become more productive for waterfowl over time.
 
I love watching the progress with your little pond. If duck production is a goal, I would avoid largemouth bass as they love dining on newly hatched ducklings. Your pond should become more productive for waterfowl over time.
No plans for bass (sorry for @Billy) - too cold anyway with the spring water - I don't think the temperature ever gets in the 60's.

Edit to fix apostrophe

cheers
 
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Want to thank everyone for indulging me and the encouragement; truly appreciated. The pond has come alive, dozens of frogs, wood frogs I believe:

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Think I might let things rest for a bit. Don't want to disturb too much, given the season and all.

Cheers
 
Looking good!
 
Well, spring is here!! The little outflow creek is greening up:

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Over the winter, in some places I was able to take out about a foot of muck, so the pond bottom is looking a little better:

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Have prepared the banks for seeding. Will seed tomorrow (rain in the forecast for Sunday) with a native wildflower mix; hopefully stabilize the banks and provide some colour, though it will take several years to fill in.

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Also will work on the dam, want a better waterfall, and fix up the bank below the dam - going to build a little foot bride to cross the creek, probably place it just below the bottom of the photo.

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Finally (well not finally, there is lots more) need to come up with a creative solution to the artesian well, could just make it more like a fountain, though would prefer something "natural". Not sure what would happen if I just cut it down, not sure why the pipe is so high. Hoping ducks inhabit the nest role I built (in the background).

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Havin' fun.

cheers
have you reached out to the penn state agronomy extension services for help on any of this? it used to be free, but that was way back in years.
 
have you reached out to the penn state agronomy extension services for help on any of this? it used to be free, but that was way back in years.
Not yet, good suggestion, we're planning on having the County Environmental Officer coming out to provide some advice - free service from my understanding.
 
With the rains we have had here in the Poconos the pond is a happy and healthy place right now. Shored up some of the mud banks, so hopefully less silt buildup:

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Creek banks too:

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Still lots more to do though:

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But there's happy critters (red spotted newt):

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Tadpoles:

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... and of course our ducks:

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All seem to be happy with the work being done, 'less I wake them up from an afternoon nap (know it makes me grumpy)

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Hope to see some duckling within the next 2 weeks or so.

Cheers
 
Love hearing about this project. You are fortunate to have a resource that provides you the privilege to be able to work on this.
 
You're probably lucky you don't live in the state of Washington...they're rather fussy about 'waters of the state' because they've suffered so much abuse from the goddamn developer community altering wetlands and watershed structure. Quick buck and they're gone.

This is true.

The Ag community has been super destructive in Whatcom county as well.
 
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