A recent discussion with a client inspired me to write about responsible water usage. You might not know it, but your backyard pond is an example of responsible water usage! Not only that, it creates a habitat for living things, filters pollutants, has a cooling effect on the space around it, and prevents mosquitos. Read more to find out how!
Water Usage
A well-built pond uses less water than you would use on keeping up a space with the same area covered in grass (especially when we compare it to Kentucky Blue Grass)! A 20 x 20 area that is watered three times a week uses 372 gallons each week or 9,300 gallons a year.
A 14 x 19 pond with rocks and mulch around it holds about 2300 gallons of water. In the summer, that pond will have to be topped off about 2 inches a week (3 inches for four weeks when it is really hot). Which comes to about 248 gallons of water per week for those weeks. That’s 6000 gallons less water used per year! Per pond!
Habitat
The natural habitat for a wide variety of insects, birds, bees, butterflies, and other critters has vanished and continues to vanish as we build more houses, apartments, and stores. All of these animals and insects are important to the environment at large. Did you know frogs can consume 100 insects in one night? Yes, and these frogs need a place to live. People may not realize it, but many ponds that we take care of provide drinking water to dear, elk, bears, mountain lions, foxes, birds, bees, and other animals. The support the small (and large) ponds in people’s yards give to wildlife is immeasurable.
Look at this wetland with urns. The wetland filters the water for the pond in the picture above!
Pollution
When polluted air comes into contact with water, it becomes part of the pond’s ecosystem. This ecosystem cleans and filters out pollutants. Our ponds help keep our environment clean!
Temperature
A body of water helps cool the general area. Think about the temperature difference between rock or flagstone and pond water. It can be 10 degrees or more! A pond helps keep your yard, and thus the surrounding environment from heating up so badly.
Mosquitos
Mosquitos do not put larvae into moving water. So a pond with good circulation will not encourage mosquitos in the area. However, pots left sitting unused hold water, as do buckets, wheelbarrows, and other things that capture water. Even the smallest amount of sitting water creates a space for mosquitos to put larvae. It takes roughly 8 days to go from egg to itchy bump-causing mosquito. So, if this is a concern, please clean up your yard.
Compared to a concrete fountain
A concrete pond or fountain has the same evaporation rates as a pond. The biggest difference is that there is less environmental support from concrete features as they generally have fewer, if any, plants and support less wildlife. Not to say they don’t support some wildlife!
Become the Responsible Owner of a Backyard Pond!
It’s the only thing to do! Help the environment by installing a backyard pond that you and your family can enjoy for generations. Colorado Pond Pros is just the company to do it!
Looking for More Information?
I ran into this article discussing 7 Ecological Benefits of Incorporating a Pond in your Yard.
How about this one: Benefits to Having a Pond by Total Ponds.
Want to learn more?
Did you know that we send out an email every week with seasonal tips for Colorado ponds? We do! Click HERE to find out more.
How Else Can Colorado Pond Pros Help?
Have more questions about your backyard pond? We’d love to help! Contact us, your pond experts, for questions or if you’re interested in pond installation or landscaping.
And read our blog for great tips and advice on all things pond!
