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Article - How Do Storms Affect Your Pond?

How Do Storms Affect Your Pond?

How summer storms can affect your pond

With hurricane season upon those of us living in Florida, we take time to see how secure our ponds are before storms strike.

In general, the fish are not directly affected by rain, clouds, or sunny weather. They will be the recipients of whatever pollution the weather washes out of the air, like dust, pollen, and leaves.

However, storms have a bigger effect on the pond’s ecology. Strong winds will deliver branches, flash floods, airborne soil and neighborhood garbage. This can carry your neighbor’s lawn chemicals too. Mulch or debris in the surrounding area would normally wash into a pond if the sides aren’t sufficiently built up to deflect any waste elsewhere, but with strong wind and rain we need to protect the pond as much as we do our homes and windows. Some sort of barrier or wind protection would help a lot. A cover that can be quickly constructed from a framework of PVC and netting will prevent damage to liners and skimmers. Above ground fixtures, such as waterfalls should be protected unless the rocks are cemented firmly in place. Remove decorative statuary which might become airborne and damage other structures. Turn off fountains unless you are there to make sure it isn’t blown over. You might return to find the pond completely drained and the fish dead. External pumps should have protective housing and be raised from the ground or unplugged before a hurricane strikes.

Many people don’t want to ruin the looks of their “natural” yard, but there is nothing quite like watching helplessly from a window as the neighbor’s roofing materials are being tossed into the pond by the weather and not knowing if the material is injuring them or if it is toxic. Our fish never seem to notice when the weather is really bad, but they are not as smart as we are. When lightning accompanies the rain, fish have been disfigured or even electrocuted when the lightning has struck their pond. The time to see to their safety is now. You will sleep better knowing your pets have been taken care of.