Pond water turns green when there is excess algae. Algae need sunlight and nutrients to grow. While you can’t do much to control how much sunlight reaches a pond, you can manage the amount of nutrients in the water. Do not use fertilizer within 10 feet of the pond. Do not mow right up to the edge of the pond—instead maintain a buffer of grasses and flowers around it. Keep livestock and pet waste away from the pond. If you have an aerator, make sure that it is properly maintained.
Click HERE for more pond management information from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Photo: Dwight Burdette
The Wildlife Illinois website was authorized by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) in partial fulfillment of project W-147-T. The website was developed by the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, 2wav, and the IDNR in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services and University of Illinois Extension to provide research-based information about how to coexist with Illinois wildlife.
