![]() ![]() Community ponds are commonly plagued by muddy water caused by the erosion or runoff of loose soil within disturbed watersheds (see our page on clearing muddy ponds). Pond dyes should only be used in closed pond systems with minimal overflow.Īnd finally, Secchi disks can be used to monitor the degree of suspended clay particles in your pond. If readings are greater than 18 inches in your community pond, then the use of non-toxic pond dyes should be considered to reduce sunlight penetration which favors noxious growth. We typically recommend the Secchi depth to be less than 18 inches in urban ponds. Without sunlight, it is hard for algae and submersed weeds to get established. In this scenario, a Secchi disk can be used to gauge sunlight penetration. ![]() Adding additional nutrients will only lead to severe algae outbreaks. SECCHI DISK GRAPH FULLThese ponds are designed to capture storm water runoff which is already full of phosphorus and nitrogen. In urban retention ponds, it is not recommended to apply fertilizer. ![]() Secchi Disk Submerged Image Courtesy of Adrian Jones However, liquid or granular pond fertilizer should NEVER be applied in the presence of heavy algae or submersed weed growth. Should you have Secchi readings of greater than 24 inches, then fertilizer might be considered as an option for stimulating a plankton bloom. The recommended Secchi depth in this case is 18-24 inches. As you go up the food pyramid, this ultimately results in fatter, healthier bass. Phytoplankton provide the base of the food chain for quality production of forage fish. In a high priority fishing lake, the disk can be used to measure the “bloom” or phytoplankton production in the lake. Secchi disks are a valuable tool for monitoring certain parameters of your pond or lake. Secchi disks are inexpensive and readily available from many online sources. The resulting reading is the Secchi depth or transparency of the water. This disk is attached to a rope and slowly lowered into the water column until the disk is no longer visible to the naked eye. A Secchi disk is an 8 inch diameter plate with alternating black and white quadrants. An increase in suspended sediments can be the result of urban, agricultural or storm runoff.The universal tool for measuring water clarity is called a Secchi disk. Excess algae growth can occur where there is additional input of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen from agriculture and/or sewage treatment or septic system waste. The color of water is sometimes caused by staining, due to decay of plant material. Changes in clarity of water can be an indicator of a human threat to an ecosystem.Ĭlarity will decrease as color, abundance of algae or suspended sediments increase. Secchi disk readings are useful in comparing bodies of water or looking for changes to a specific body of water over time. While people often focus on the negative aspect of losing clarity, completely clear water is usually not desirable either because that means the water is devoid of needed food like plankton. Secchi depth is important to measure because the clarity of water impacts the amount of light penetration and in turn can affect photosynthesis and the distribution of organisms. The depth at which the disk can no longer be seen is called the secchi depth and is the measurement recorded. This line is used to lower the disk into a body of water with the purpose of measuring the clarity of the water. A secchi disk contains alternating black and white quadrants and is attached to a line. This is a separate instrument from the Hydrolab in the Pelican case. ![]()
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