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Ashland NFWCO
 Midwest Region
 MTAN Logo Dedicated To The Tribal Aquaculture Program Image of fish jumping.
      June 2005-Volume 52
 http://www.fws.gov/midwest/ashland/mtanhome.html **Coordinator:
          Frank G. Stone 
          (715-682-6185) Ext.
          202
          U.S. Fish and
          Wildlife Service
          Email: [email protected]**
        
        **Edited
            By:
            Elizabeth W. Greiff 
            (715-349-2195) Ext. 5141
            St. Croix Tribal Nat. Res. Depart.
            Email:   ****[email protected]******
 Topics
  Of Interest: *  Aquaculture Demonstration Facility Update
  * 
    
          New Backup Power Supply Averts a Disaster
  * 
    
          Site Selection of Levee-type Fish Production Ponds
  * 
    
    Construction of Levee Ponds for Commercial Catfish Production
  *
  Hatchery Tip  Aquaculture Demonstration 
    Facility Update forMay 2005
    
  By:Gregory Fischer, 
    Facilities Director Phase 
  II construction is approximately 98% complete and the facility is operational.  
  I have moved up to the facility full time and now occupy the office in the 
  building.  April has been extremely busy with walleye and perch egg collection 
  and getting our outdoor rearing ponds ready for the spring season.  Last minute 
  checks and test runs of piping and equipment have been underway for several 
  months.  Equipment is arriving weekly, being assembled and put into use.  We 
  have hired two local limited term employees who started in April.  On May 9 we 
  stocked out approximately 300,000 walleye fry which were hatched from eggs 
  donated by the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Natural Resources Department.  We have 
  also received donated perch eggs from Lac Du Flambeau and Bad River Tribal 
  Natural Resources Departments.  These eggs are presently being hatched out and 
  stocked into outdoor rearing ponds.  There have been many interested groups and 
  personnel visiting to see how the facility is operating.  Please call or email 
  to schedule a visit.  Any questions or comments should be directed to Greg 
  Fischer at 715-779-3461 or email [email protected].  New Backup Power Supply 
    Averts a DisasterBy:  Doug Aloisi, Genoa 
    National Fish Hatchery Thanks to a recently installed backup generator 
    system and automated power transfer switch, the Genoa NFH was able to avert a 
    disaster after a fallen tree knocked out power to the fish hatchery. When power 
    was interrupted in the area and to both power companies that service Genoa, 
    backup power was supplied from a 75-kilowatt generator. During construction of a 
    sturgeon culture building last summer, money was furnished through the Fish and 
    Wildlife Services annual maintenance account to install the generator and an 
    automatic transfer switch in case of power grid failure or power loss to the 
    station. As a result of this investment, valuable strains of coaster brook trout 
    broodstock and all of the spring coaster brook trout production fish were saved 
    from water loss and asphyxiation after the power outage. Many thanks go to our 
    fish hatchery supervisor, Todd Turner, for finding the needed funds to complete 
    the project. Thanks  also to Erin McFadden of our Regional Engineering 
    Department and Genoa staff for making this backup system a working reality.  The following submissions 
      are the first of a two part series regarding aquaculture pond construction 
      and repair.  This information was received from the
      Southern Regional Aquaculture Centerand has been edited. Site 
    Selection of Levee-type Fish Production Ponds
    
  By:   Thomas L. Wellborn Considerable thought and planning should go into 
    selecting sites for fish production ponds.  Construction costs and productivity 
    can be greatly affected by the site selected.  Selection of pond sites on flat 
    land would seem to be a simple matter but many factors are involved. These 
    alternatives must be considered, or you may find the cost and problems 
    associated with production prohibitive. Water Availability Water for filling levee-type ponds must come 
    from a well, spring, reservoir or stream.  Thus, one of the first considerations 
    in selecting a site for fish ponds is to make sure that an adequate supply of 
    quality water is available.  Usually one well with a capacity of 2,000 to 3,000 
    gallons per minute (gpm) is adequate for four 20-acre ponds, or a minimum of 25 
    gpm per acre of pond surface. There must be enough water 
            available to fill the pond completely within 10 days, otherwise problems with 
        vegetation and water quality management will occur A local well drilling company, a ground water 
    geologist, or the closest office of the U.S. Geological Survey should be able to 
    tell you if a well of the desired capacity/quality can be developed at the site. Water Sources Water for levee ponds can come from a well, 
    spring, stream or reservoir. Of these four choices, a well is usually the best 
    for several reasons. A spring is almost as good. Streams and reservoirs should 
    be used only as last resorts because they usually contain various species of 
    wild fish that can get into the pond and cause severe management problems. 
    Streams and reservoirs can also become contaminated with pesticides or 
    industrial chemicals that could kill fish.  During droughts water levels become 
    so low in the streams and reservoirs that they can no longer be used as sources 
    of needed pond water. Wild fish in streams and reservoirs serve as constant 
    sources of various infectious diseases. The quality of water in streams and 
    reservoirs can change enough during droughts or floods as to be unusable at 
    those times. Soil Characteristics The soil must hold water, so clay type soils are 
    desirable. Take soil cores at various places around the site to insure adequate 
    clay is present to prevent excess seepage.  The local Natural Resources 
    Conservation Service (NRCS) Office can assist you. Ponds can be built in soils 
    that have high percolation rates if they are lined with a layer of packed clay 
    or plastic, but installation costs can be high for large pond liners. Topography The topography or lay-of-the-land determines the 
    amount of dirt that has to be moved during pond construction.  Pond construction 
    on flat land requires less dirt moving than building on rolling or hilly land.  
    Levee-type ponds built on flat land usually require about 1,200 yards of dirt to 
    be moved per acre. Wetlands Before selecting the site, be sure the land is 
    not classified as a wetland. A permit is required from the Corps of Engineers 
    before clearing or building on wetlands. Wetlands generally include swamps, 
    marshes, bogs and similar areas. Draining For management purposes and for harvesting fish, 
    you must be able to drain the ponds, and the site should be selected with this 
    in mind. You must be able to drain the ponds by gravity flow, and insure that 
    draining your ponds will not cause flooding on a neighbors land or block the 
    drainage from a neighbors land. Flooding Make sure the site under consideration is not 
    subject to periodic flooding.  This can be done by checking with the local U.S. 
    Geological Survey Office or the NRCS Office. Utility Right-of-Ways Before building ponds over pipe lines or under 
    power lines, check locations of right-of-ways to avoid possible legal problems. Pesticides Check the soil for pesticide residues if row 
    crops were ever grown on or adjacent to the site being considered.  There are 
    three areas within a site that must be checked for pesticide residue levels. 
    These are: Low areas where run-off collects
    Any area where spray equipment, either aerial or ground, was filled 
        with pesticides
    Any area in the site where pesticides were disposed of or were 
        stored Chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides, particularly 
    toxaphene which was widely used in the past as an insecticide in row crop 
    farming, are long lasting in the soil. High soil concentrations of toxaphene in 
    ponds can harm fish either through direct, acute toxicity or by chronic toxicity 
    due to bioaccumulation. Observation seems to indicate that soil concentrations 
    in excess of 0.5 parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per liter (mg/l) can be 
    harmful to fish. Most chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides are tied up in the top 
    2 to4 inches of soil, depending on the type of farming practices used. Samples 
    for analysis should be taken at a depth not to exceed 4 inches.  Construction of Levee Ponds for Commercial Catfish ProductionBy:  Jim Steeby and Jimmy Avery Ponds 
    should be as regularly shaped as possible. Triangular ponds or ponds with lots 
    of curvature in the levees can be difficult to harvest.  These ponds are 
    also more expensive to construct on a land to water-acre basis. Use remaining 
    small or irregularly shaped parcels of land for feed bins or equipment storage 
    where possible.  The long axis of rectangular ponds should be parallel to 
    prevailing winds during the peak production period of April through October.  Design of Levees Interior levees should have a minimum top width 
    of 16 feet (20 feet is preferred so two vehicles can pass safely). Levees 
    narrower than 16 feet may become difficult to traverse and be unusable in 3 to 5 
    years if there is even the smallest amount of erosion.  Narrow levees 
    hinder management and are dangerous at night and when wet. Main access levees should have a minimum top 
    width of 20 feet; 25 feet is preferred.  Main levees should 
    be graveled for all-weather access.  Harvesting, feeding and bird control are 
    often carried out during wet conditions, making gravel essential on at least one 
    side of each pond. Main levees must be wider to accommodate fixed equipment such as wells, 
    generators, aerators and electrical panel boxes while permitting passage of feed 
    delivery and hauling trucks Freeboard is the height of the levee above the 
    normal water level. A 1 foot freeboard height is recommended (NRCS) for a pond 
    600 to 1,300 feet long.  One foot of freeboard is adequate if ponds are less 
    than 600 feet long. Excessive freeboard (more than 2 feet) makes seining and 
    placement of emergency aeration equipment more difficult. Slope is expressed as the horizontal distance 
    (in feet) that results in a 1-foot change in height. Hence, a 3:1 slope extends 
    out 3 feet horizontally for each foot of height, and a 4:1 slope extends 4 feet 
    horizontally for each foot of height.  The slope selected by the pond owner will 
    affect construction costs. Greater slope may decrease erosion but will also 
    increase construction costs. For most soils, an outside levee slope of 3:1 is 
    preferred. Inside slope for commercial ponds typically ranges from 3:1 to 4:1 
    depending on owner preference. Slope greater than 4:1 should be avoided, as 
    construction costs are excessive and there are likely to be more weed problems. Drainage A perimeter drainage system should be 
    constructed to receive effluents and to prevent water from standing outside 
    levees.  The existing drainage system might be modified, or a new system 
    constructed. Earth removed during construction of the drainage ditches can be 
    used as fill for levees.  Drains are most often installed after the levee is 
    constructed by trenching through the levee with a backhoe. This ensures proper 
    placement of the drain and minimizes the risk of settling, which can hinder the 
    complete draining of the pond. A single 10-inch diameter drain of heavy gauge, 
    coated metal or PVC pipe is adequate to maintain water level and drain a pond. 
    Because most soils have high clay content and most levees are relatively low, 
    anti-seep collars are not usually included on the drainpipe. The drain should extend into the pond and past 
    the outside levee toe by at least 5 feet. A 1-inch drop in the pipe to the levee 
    toe will ensure complete drainage of the pipe when the pond is dry.  The inside 
    (pond side) drain end is capped with an expanded metal screen (0.5-inch mesh) 3 
    to 4 feet long to keep fish from entering the drain. If the pipe does not extend 
    properly outside the pond, severe levee erosion is likely to occur when overflow 
    or drain water is released.  The area immediately surrounding the interior drain 
    (25-foot-radius) should be slightly deeper (3 to 4 inches) than the rest of the 
    pond so that the pond drains fully. Any fish remaining at drawdown will be 
    concentrated in this area. Site Preparation and 
    Construction All vegetation, roots and stumps must be removed 
    before levees are constructed. The top 2 to 3 inches of surface soil can be 
    removed and reserved for placement on outside levee slopes so that any recent 
    pesticide residues are excluded from the pond. This soil will also be more 
    conducive to establishing vegetative cover.  Dirt pans are the primary 
    implements recommended for commercial levee construction. They cost less to use 
    and compact the soil better than other implements. Dirt pans lay down a thin 
    layer of soil with each pass and pack the previously applied soil layer. For proper compaction, soil 
            moisture content should be 12 to 15 percent.
        Moisture levels higher or lower than this can make soil compaction difficult As soon as pond construction is completed, a 
    vegetative cover should be established on the levees to control erosion. Winter 
    annuals such as rye or wheat or perennial forages such as bermudagrass make good 
    cover and will exclude most volunteer grasses and weeds that provide poor 
    coverage. If construction is completed and wheat or rye grass planted in the 
    fall, it should be replaced with bermudagrass or another effective low cover in 
    the spring. Establishing proper cover is cost-effective because it prevents 
    excessive erosion, reduces mowing costs, and allows all-weather access to ponds. 
    For more detailed information on the best ground covers for your area, contact 
    your NRCS extension agent.  The next part of this two part 
  series regarding pond construction,
  will be posted in the September 
  issue of the MTAN
  and will include the repairing of fish pond levees  Hatchery Tip **Do You Need a Conversion 
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 Last updated: 
		  February 3, 2009
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