Filamentous Algae Mat As the days get longer and temperatures start to rise, we will soon be entering algae season here in Texas.  Numerous algae species are commonly found in north Texas ponds and lakes.  The three major groups of algae are planktonic, filamentous, and branched.  Planktonic algae typically cause a cloudy “pea soup” appearance to the water.  In severe cases, planktonic algae can cause oxygen depletion and related fish kills.  Some species such as blue-green algae can be directly toxic to fish and other wildlife.  Branched algae is a harmless gro ..read more

Red-Eared Slider We routinely receive calls concerning turtles in and around ponds.  Turtle sightings are most common during the spring as they emerge from their winter hideouts.  Several species of aquatic turtles are found in north Texas.  Red-eared sliders are by far the most common species and are a healthy component of a pond’s ecosystem.  Red-eared sliders are too slow to catch a healthy fish; however, they remove diseased or injured fish and help clean up any natural fish kills that may occur.  Their primary diet consists of aquatic vegetation and decaying org ..read more

Though species diversity in nature is typically a good thing, there are several undesirable fish species that fisheries biologists don’t like to see in small lakes and ponds.  The time, effort, and money invested in creating a quality angling resource can be compromised by these uninvited guests.  Most of these species are found widespread in rivers, creeks, and ditches and can be challenging to keep out of ponds with large watersheds. Undesirable Species The most familiar undesirable fish species in north Texas is the common carp.  This is an exotic species which is native to ..read more

“I just want to see what is in there.” That is the most common answer we get when asking a new client why they want to electrofish their lake.  If you truly don’t know what is swimming in your lake or if you are not catching any fish at all; then a fish survey can certainly answer that.  In fact, the best tool for taking a snapshot of the fish assemblage at a given point in time is to electrofish.  Fish surveys are best utilized for monitoring changes within the population.  The results are used to make management corrections to ensure that your gamefish meet or exceed thei ..read more

Though species diversity in nature is typically a good thing, there are several fish species that fisheries biologists consider to be undesirable in small lakes and ponds.  The time, effort, and money invested in creating a quality angling resource can be compromised by these uninvited guests.  Most of these species are found widespread in rivers, creeks, and ditches and can be challenging to keep out of ponds with large watersheds. Undesirable Species The most familiar undesirable species in north Texas is the common carp.  This is an exotic species which is native to Europe ..read more

Fish kills in urban ponds are more common than you might think. We field numerous calls every year regarding dead fish. The number of calls increases significantly during extremely hot and dry weather. So what causes fish to die and what can you do to minimize the risk? When people see dead fish floating in their pond, they immediately think a foreign, toxic substance has made its way into the pond. While that is possible, it is actually the least common cause of fish kills. The vast majority of fish kills are caused by natural processes that interrupt dissolved oxygen levels.  Dissolved ..read more

“I just want to see what is in there.”  That is the most common answer we get when asking a new client why they want to survey their lake.  If you truly don’t know what is swimming in your lake or if you are not catching any fish at all; then electrofishing can certainly answer that.  In fact, electrofishing equipment is the best tool for taking a snapshot of the fish assemblage at a given point in time.  Fish surveys are best utilized for monitoring changes within the population.  The results are used to make management corrections to ensure that your gamefish meet or ..read more

Be careful when treating blue-green algae in the summer Caution: Algae treatment during hot weather can kill your fish! Due to the hot weather here in north central Texas, there are times of the year when caution should be taken when treating algae and aquatic vegetation. During the dog days of summer, un-aerated ponds and lakes hold very little dissolved oxygen and fish often ride a fine line between survival and death. The chemical treatment of algae and aquatic vegetation can further reduce oxygen levels in a pond. Although the products themselves do not harm fish, the decomposing materia ..read more

How deep is your pond? Dropping anchor in a few places may give you a general idea, but with sediment buildup over the years, it may not be as deep as you thought.  In fact, your pond may have an unhealthy or unsafe layer of sediment. A bathymetric and sediment survey from Magnolia Fisheries will answer these questions and others. The estimated lifetime of an urban retention pond in North Texas is approximately 15-20 years.  Without renovation, most ponds will continue to get shallower until they become dry land.  Organic matter decays and accumulates on the pond bottom over tim ..read more

Controlling Nutrient Pollution with Phoslock Phoslock is a relatively new tool available to certified pond and lake managers here in north Texas. It is used to help control nutrient pollution, the biggest problem facing lake managers today. Urban storm-water runoff carries large amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen into the nearest body of water. These nutrients fuel the out of control growth of algae and noxious aquatic weeds. In fact, phosphorus levels as low as 0.025 ppm are enough to stimulate harmful algae blooms (HAB’s). It is not unusual for community ponds to have phosphorus levels sever ..read more