[permaculture] Conserving water in ponds

Lawrence F. London, Jr. lflj at intrex.net
Thu Aug 28 03:19:45 EDT 2008


Robert Waldrop wrote:

> Do we think that these would reduce evaporation? 
> (Presumably by shading the surface of the water?) 

Duckweed/lillies/hyacinth:
shade and therefore cool the water
a material cover over the water to reduce water/air contact area, subject to evaporation

> Dieter seems to think there isn't anything to be 
> done about it.  I am not a pond expert, although 
I have two small wet weather ponds _covered_ completely with duckweed
the water underneath must be cooler and much darker
duckweed had a fair amount of foliage plus stem system connect to trailing roots; it also set flowers
during season

> since I plan to build a small one here at my house 
> in Oklahoma City, I will need to learn.  Mine will 

I recommend the above. The lillies, duckweed and hyacinth will totally purify the aeter, recycling nutrients,
shade it, cool it and make it a choice summer habitat for fish, amphibians and insect predators such as bats, birds and 
dragonflies

But be sure to plant abundant cattails in the shallows as they too will purify the water, recycle butrients, provide 
valuable habitat an a source of food
bottom-dwelling scavenging insects will colonize as well as various surface-dwelling ones, snails, frogs, turtles and 
more, maybe water snakes.

> be more of a small pool, about 5' by 20' and 5 or 
> 6 feet deep, though.  Our coop producers have 
> larger farm ponds.
They can make good use of this info as well.

LFLondon



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