Lime must be applied evenly over the entire pond so that it can react with the bottom mud. If the pond is thoroughly dry, a spreader truck could distribute the lime. If the pond is full, however, the lime will have to be shoveled or washed into the pond from a boat. Several pond management consultants in Alabama will lime ponds at a modest cost. Ask your county Extension office for a list of Alabama Fisheries Consultants.
Lime slowly dissolves into the pond water and is washed out with overflow water.
This means that ponds usually need to be relimed every 2 to 4 years. Many pond managers find it practical to increase the liming rate by one and a half or two times the amount recommended. This increases the length of time between lime applications. Some managers reapply half the recommended lime every 2 years to maintain alkalinity. A typical liming rate in Alabama is around 2 tons per surface acre of pond.