File photo
COUNTY News:
Inquiring minds want to know: Why is the water in Ashley Pond still murky?
Michael Northway of Oasis Aquatic Services, who is the County’s contractor working on the ecology of the pond, offered the following response:
The pond is cloudy due to suspended clay within the water column. This happened during the heavy rains that washed the clay down into the rain water that had accumulated. The clay poses no harm to the eco-system – in fact the opposite is true. The clay is helping to purify the water. As awful as it looks right now, the water is actually very healthy. Wildlife would thrive in this environment.
Clay is one of nature’s best water filters – that is why it was in the pond in the first place. It also acted as a waterproofing membrane in the old system. The only reason it was re-introduced in the new system, since the new system has a liner for waterproofing, is to help complete the system’s ecology.
Since we have filled the pond the water clarity has slowly gotten better by approx. 2″ in 7 days. This could mean that it will take another 14-21 days to clean up to a 2′ clarity depth.
As far as the question about if these water conditions will harm the ducks? The answer is “No.” Ducks, fish, crustacean, etc can live, and will thrive, in this environment. It’s only us humans that do not like it.
