What size ponds can you clean?
Around 1/8 acre to 10 acres.
How often does this have to be done?
Depending on how well you maintain your pond after cleaning, it should last 15-20 years.
How does your system work?
The system hydraulically removes the decaying sediment from the bottom of ponds. Any area could be specifically targeted and is incredibly efficient and environmentally friendly.
Will this adversely affect aquatic life and fish?
No. You do not have to relocate any aquatic life.
What do you do with all the sludge that you pump out?
Most people have enough property to discharge on site, if not, we provide other alternatives.
Will this destroy any of my property?
Because of its liquid form, the sediment will disperse evenly among the grass and trees. In addition, it is so nutrient rich that plants love it and so do farmers.
Do you come out and inspect the ponds and give estimates?
Only if there is a concern with the discharge area. Even then, I am looking at a pond, which does not tell me much. Only when the system is in full operation will we know how much sediment has accumulated over the period of time, type, and viscosity of the sediment. With our experience, if I know the depth, age, and surrounding foliage, I am usually very accurate ON how much time it will take to clean a specific pond or area. The only other concern is the discharge site and 99% of the time we can solve that over the phone.
Do you have to clean the entire pond?
No, we are mainly concerned with the bowl area, which is the deepest part, where the bulk of the sediment has accumulated and is doing the most environmental damage. As a matter of fact, we serviced a pond which was going to take at least three days, but because of their budget, we only worked one day. The pond cleaned up so well, it was five years later before she called us back to finish the pond, which confirms that any start is a good start.
How much sediment can you remove?
In one pond, we went through 12 feet of organic sediment before we reached the original bottom. Most ponds, however, have an average of 1-3 feet of sediment.
How far can you pump the sediment?
2,000 feet, depending on grade and elevation.
How much does this cost?
Because all ponds are so different and even sediment samples are not really reliable in indicating how much sediment is in the bottom of the ponds, we charge on a daily basis, like time and material. This avoids wasting our clients’ time and money on ponds that we finish ahead of schedule. Naturally, a 1/4 acre pond with 5 feet of sediment is going to take a lot longer than a 1/4 acre pond with 1 foot of sediment, which usually takes us one day. Daily rates are obtained by request.
Why do ponds have to be cleaned?
Mother Nature tries to reclaim all bodies of water. In the deeper water lies anaerobic bacteria which cannot decompose the onslaught of organic matter. This material slowly builds as a nutrient rich compost, or natural fertilizer plant, saturating the water with nitrogen, phosphates, sulfur dioxides, methane gases, and the list goes on. This causes excessive algae and weed growth, foul water, and sometimes fish kill. All this dies through the winter, adding and compounding a natural cycle that builds over time, filling in our ponds.
What about aeration systems?
About 80% of the ponds that we clean have aeration systems, (mine included). After following instructions and $5,200 a year later, I dove to the bottom of my pond and shoved my hand up to my shoulder in solid muck, which was not supposed to be there if aeration systems were that effective. That’s when I developed this system. Aeration systems are a big plus to alleviate some of the gases mentioned above from saturating into the water, but as for decomposing sludge from the bottom, there has been little success. After we clean a pond, aeration systems are a great help in keeping a pond healthier longer.
What is the difference between your system and mechanical excavators?
Water is a disadvantage to heavy equipment. A reputable excavator will drain the pond first to ensure that the sediment solidifies to a more manageable and solid form; otherwise, the sediment will just slop around the blade; they will get stuck, and it’s a real bear. That is why they charge so much. Check around. The average cost is around $75,000 per acre. To dragline wet, remember the sediment is in a soft liquid state. When the bucket hits the sediment, the sediment explodes in the water, saturating the entire water column, (like a spoon stirring chocolate in milk.) Yes, you will have a deeper pond, because they can remove the hard clays and soils at the bottom when they dig. But when they are finished and the pond settles, you are right back where you started.
Our system uses the water to our advantage. How does this sound? Insert a straw into the chocolate, suck it all up, and your problems are over. No mess, no costly re-landscaping, only efficient and cost-effective results.
