# Water clarity in Pond



## iceman (May 23, 2006)

I live in a development with a retention pond about 3/4 of an acre in size. The pond recieves about 12 treatments a year starting in late spring thru early fall. The pond also has a fountain that helps with water circulation. The water has always looked really good during treatments and also thru late fall until it freezes over. We have lived here about 7 years the pond the development and pond about 15 years old.
Here is the concern...This past fall about a month or better since pond froze over and now that we have open water again the pond looks like a mud pit... Chocolate Milk water....I know lakes and ponds will turn over and often times water clarity after ice off takes time to clear up but this started well before ice formed...First time ever seeing this with this pond is concern...Called the company that maintains pond and fountain and they had no answers...
Is this a concern or something that will naturally clear up on its own.
Any thoughts appreciated and I will take some pics and try and add to thread.
Thanks


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## iceman (May 23, 2006)




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## iceman (May 23, 2006)

iceman said:


> View attachment 228041
> View attachment 228041


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

is there any run off? obviously there would be some and a downpour will muddy a pond in no time, my guess is it will slowly clear up some over the next 10 days, and yes the fall turnover should have happened back in early to mid November for about 7-10 days, usually that's when the weeds are all up on the surface.


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## iceman (May 23, 2006)

There are 4 large drainage pipes that empty into the pond and an overflow that empties into Yellow Creek in Mahoning County...The drainage pipes are from the sewers in the development and there has been times due to construction where you could see muddy waters flowing into the pond but that was very temporary...I appreciate your response but I just don't see this clearing up...I definitely hope that I am wrong but will keep u posted...Thanks


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

I'm guessing run off as well... Not a lot of living roots in the ground right now to stop soil from being washed away


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## TDD11 (Aug 5, 2015)

I'm thinking run off. I don't know where you are in the state, but here in the Mansfield area, while the ground was frozen and we got so much rain, it seemed to be especially bad clouding up ponds. The pond I tried to fish Sunday had like 4" of visibility and was pure chocolate milk, or maybe peanut butter.


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## iceman (May 23, 2006)

This retention pond is located in Northeastern Ohio...I'm hoping at this point it is runoff because it has not cleared up at all...In the past, heavy rain would muddy up the waters but it would clear up quickly...I do appreciate the response...


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

As water temperature decreases, water density increases. Suspended matter takes longer to settle out of water as density increases. Therefore mud takes longer to settle out of the water column during winter.


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## iceman (May 23, 2006)

That's why I appreciate this site...I did not know that...I have called company that maintains fountain and water but they had no answers... Thanks


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## iceman (May 23, 2006)

iceman said:


> That's why I appreciate this site...I did not know that...I have called company that maintains fountain and water but they had no answers... Thanks


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## iceman (May 23, 2006)

I found this picture that I had taken of pond on 11/20/16...Within a few weeks the pond color changed to a murky muddy brown and it has stated that way. The company that maintains pond has no answers...They want to charge $150 just to come and take a look plus chemicals...I don't think it will clear up on its own but see no reason to have them come out now..Will wait until they start their spring treatments.


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