Cornell Cooperative Extension

Cortland County
Farm pond on Lew-Lin Farm, Dryden NY
Image by Sandy Repp

Farm ponds have a variety of uses.

cat tails in farm pond
Image by Sandy Repp

Controlling cattails in your pond can be challenging.

Ponds

A pond can add both beauty and utility to your property. The following resources may be helpful as you consider building a pond, or managing an existing one.

Shovel and Pond

Building A New Pond

Successful ponds require careful planning. New ponds must be located in the best spot possible, supplied by a consistent water source, and constructed with an adequate spillway.

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brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill, 1814)

Stocking Your Pond

Trout, bass and blue gills are popular choices for stocking your pond. Find resources here that will explain fish choices, requirements, necessary permits, and more.

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pond and vegetation

Aquatic Weeds & Algae

Decisions about aquatic weeds have consequences for swimming, fishing, and environmental quality. We recommend a step-by-step approach to weed management.

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Cattails in a ditch, Dryden NY

Controlling Cattails

A few cattails can be desirable in a pond however they often grow into thick stands. Learn various methods to use to control them, here.

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Children Playing in a Lake

Pond Safety

Lack of close supervision, underestimating children's curiosity or overestimating their sense of judgment all contribute to young children drowning in farm ponds. Learn how to keep your pond safe, here.

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Frog

Attracting Pond Wildlife

Most ponds will attract significant wildlife without any effort on your part. Here are suggestions on how to attract or discourage wildlife from taking up residence at your pond.

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Last updated July 26, 2019

Ponds

Cortland County SWCD

Graphic to use in sidebar for Cortland County Soil & Water Conservation District at: http://www.cortlandswcd.org/

Contact the Cortland County Soil & Water Conservation District for a pond site evaluation to determine if your site is appropriate for a pond. CCSWCD is located at 100 Grange Place, Cortland, NY 13045, Tel: (607) 756-5991

The Pond Guidebook

Cover of The Pond Guidebook (2007, Ochterski, et. al) at http://palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu/nra_order.taf?_function=detail&pr_id=163&_UserReference=C096DBA013CB87D6470CBD50

The Pond Guidebook (2007, Ochterski, et. al) is written for ponds of 1/8 acre or larger in the Northeast, the Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic United States. The authors explain the causes of many common pond problems and review the advantages and drawbacks of various treatments. The book suggests practices that minimize negative impacts on the environment, promote healthy ecosystems, encourage responsible use of chemicals, and enhance biological diversity. View this publication as a PDF on the NRAES website.

Purchase a hard-copy of the book or download a low resolution fair-use copy here.

Events

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Farm Pond Safety

This fact sheet from Penn State University Cooperative Extension covers steps to take to prevent accidental drownings in your farm pond.