Indiana has more than 40,000 ponds, most privately owned. Homeowners are constructing ponds for recreational use, or purchasing properties with existing ponds. Pond owners dream of fun-filled days spent fishing or swimming, but the reality often becomes weed[1]choked water or fish populations of 2-inch bluegill. Many attempt to manage ponds with ill-advised techniques and waste money and time on improper or unwarranted chemicals, or stock ponds with the wrong kind/size of fish. As a result, local Purdue Extension offices are swamped with calls from frustrated owners looking for help with their ponds.
Purdue Extension with other pond experts implemented train-the-trainer and public pond management workshops. Train-the-trainer programs were in Warrick and Cass counties; pond programs were in Cass, Crawford, Fayette, Morgan, Ripley and Warrick counties. Topics were plant and fish management and pond ecosystems. Q&A time ended each session. The train-the-trainer programs drew 25 Purdue Extension educators and Soil and Water Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Service staff; 96 public participants attended pond programs.
A total of 48 attendees completed evaluations reporting increased knowledge of weed and fish population management, factors to improve fish health and size, ways to improve pond habitat, and how aeration protects ponds. Participants reported knowledge gains about natural resources and environment data services, tools, and resources. As a result of what they learned, most (85%) would change how they managed plants in ponds. All better understood how harvesting more fish improves fisheries. Many expressed the Q&A time was much appreciated. Extension educators felt better equipped to answer basic questions but now had resources to help answer harder questions
Purdue Extension’s Pond Management Workshop helps professionals and the public gain knowledge of and skills for keeping ponds healthy, contributing to the vitality and sustainability of Indiana’s 40,000 ponds.