Farm Pond Management

Introduction   |   Managing Fish   |   Liming   |   Fertilization   |   Feeding Fish   |   Calendar   |  
 Drawdown   |   Calculations   |   Balance Key

Winter Drawdown

Click here for a printable version of this publication: Winter Drawdown: A Useful Management Tool for Mississippi Farm Ponds

One of the most useful and most inexpensive pond management practices is called a "winter drawdown." This practice is the reduction of water levels in a pond to some predetermined level, and generally is designed to expose 35 to 50 percent of the pond-bottom area. Winter drawdowns can be useful in controlling aquatic weeds, and can be invaluable in manipulating fish populations, facilitating pond repairs and redesign, and liming. The primary disadvantage is that the pond must have a drain pipe that will allow the water levels to be lowered and kept down throughout the winter. Ponds without a drain pipe can be retro-fitted, and detailed information on how this is accomplished is available through your local Natural Resources Conservation Service office.

In most farm ponds, lowering the water level 2 to 3 feet exposes the proper percentage of the pond bottom; however, this is only a rule of thumb. You must consider the topography of the pond, the amount of shallow water, and pond shape and design. The maximum depth of drawdown should be reached by late November, and the water must remain down through February for the technique to be effective. In south Mississippi, the stand pipe can be raised a little earlier, perhaps mid-February, to allow the pond to refill and not hamper largemouth bass spawning activities that begin earlier in that part of the state.

Winter drawdown can be a useful tool for the farm pond manager if executed properly. It poses no threat to the fish population, and costs nothing if the pond is equipped with a water control structure. Drawdowns should only be done in the winter, however; never during summer! The extreme temperatures during Mississippi summers, coupled with the increased metabolism of fish and reduced oxygen levels in warm water, would prove disastrous in most farm pond situations.

Drawdown to Control Weeds

Aquatic weed problems are common in farm ponds, and usually represent a challenge to overcome. Of the three basic weed control methods (mechanical, biological, and chemical), mechanical control can be the least expensive and most convenient, if it consists of a winter drawdown. Winter drawdown exposes weeds to air-drying and freezing temperatures. This can be an effective weed control technique, especially if done in successive years, and it has other advantages related to fish population management.

For effective weed control, drop the water level of the pond to expose aquatic weeds in the more shallow portions of the pond. Usually, water levels are reduced enough to expose 35 to 50 percent of the pond bottom, but this percentage may vary greatly, depending upon topography and design of the pond. Maximum drawdown should be accomplished by mid- to late November, and the water level should remain low through February. Spring rains will fill the pond.

After reflooding, if weeds persist and begin to sprout, apply an appropriate herbicide. The combination of a winter drawdown and effective early spring herbicide application usually does a good job of eliminating or greatly reducing aquatic weed infestations. Go to our aquatic vegetation control page for further information on aquatic weed management and control.

Drawdown for Fish Management

Winter drawdown is also a good fish population management technique in bass/bluegill ponds. By reducing the water level and pond area, forage fish, such as bluegills, are driven out of shallow water refuges and concentrated in open water, making them more vulnerable to largemouth bass predation. This is a good technique to use in ponds classed as "crowded bluegill" which still have viable bass populations in them. The increased predation by bass reduces bluegill numbers and provides additional food for the struggling bass population. In some cases, routine annual drawdowns have helped the pond manager maintain a balanced bass/bluegill fishery.

Drawdown for Repairs

Winter drawdown also provides a good opportunity to do repairs on piers, docks, and boat ramps, as well as minor dam repairs and shoreline renovation. Fish attractors, such as brush tops and gravel beds, can be easily put in place while the water is down, and this is a good time to deepen edges to the recommended minimum depth of 18 to 24 inches. Dirt from the shoreline-deepening operation can be used to construct earthen piers at various locations around the pond. These piers serve to increase the shoreline area of the pond, and also provide increased access for fishermen.

Drawdown for Liming

While the pond is down, take soil samples and analyze for the pond lime requirement. Go to our liming page for instructions on how to sample pond soils during drawdown and for an overview of the importance of liming. Applying lime at the rate suggested by your test results during a drawdown provides opportunity to spread the lime on the exposed soils, which is ideal. Keep in mind that liming is intended to increase the pH of the soil, and application of the lime directly to the soil is the most efficient method of liming a pond and producing effective fertilization results.