POSSIBILITIES OF AN ACRE FISH POND 



By Prof. L. L. Dyche, State Fish and Game Warden, 

 Pr'att, Kansas. 



Three years ago an acre pond at the Kansas State 

 Fish Hatchery was stocked with several kinds of fish. 

 The exact size of this pond, which was No. 4 in the old 

 series, was one and sixteen one-hundredths (1.16) of 

 an acre when the pond was at standard height, but as 

 the water usually stood a little below standard, the pond 

 was almost an exact acre in size. After the pond was 

 stocked, but little attention or care was given to it for 

 a period of three years. The pond was stocked as an 

 experiment and with the hope of raising some good brood 

 stock fish that could be used in the future to stock a 

 proposed new fish hatchery. The pond is nearly circu- 

 lar; however, shape makes but little difference. At the 

 edge of the pond the water is shallow, but the ground 

 or bottom surface in a general way is basin shaped and 

 gradually slopes to the deepest place, which is about 

 thirty feet from the east shore line. At the bottom of this 

 deepest place or kettle there is a drain pipe which is used 

 when it is desirable or necessary to lower the water or 

 drain the pond. When the pond is full of water or at 

 standard height, it is six feet deep in the deepest place. 

 This pond has a soft mud bottom, except for a few 

 spots where the ground is rather hard and covered with 

 a little sand and gravel. The water is carried into the 

 pond through two three-inch pipes that connect with 

 other ponds. However, just enough water was allowed 

 to run into the pond to keep it at a certain height. 

 Usually, the water stood about five feet deep in the kettle 

 in the summer time and six feet in the winter time, the 

 idea being to keep the pond supplied with water, but 

 not to have any overflow or waste. There are many 

 ponds in the country that are fed from wind mill pumps, 

 or from springs or small streams. Under such condi- 

 tions there is little or no water to spare. When there 

 is an extra supply it is usually needed, either for stock 

 or for small garden irrigation, or for both purposes. 



