Ponds
- Pond Management Consulting
- Pond Management Programs
- Custom Aeration Systems
- Native Aquatic Plantings
- Fish Stocking
- Quality Fishery Management
- Pond Design and Construction
Pond Management Consulting
Consultation, the sharing of professional knowledge with a client, is perhaps the
most valuable service our company provides. It is certainly our most requested pond
management service. Our collective knowledge of lake and pond biology, ecology, water
chemistry and management is primarily why our clients contact us. We begin by listening
to the client to determine the nature of their management concerns. We then collect
information on the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the pond. Finally we
combine and analyze this information to prescribe a management program that will allow
them to achieve their goals within an established budget.
Our current consulting fees are $90/hour, including round-trip travel time from our Berlin Office. A typical consultation requires one to two hours of time on-site. Detailed written recommendations will be provided at the conclusion of the consultation.
Pond Management Programs
Cason & Associates provides science-based management services for your pond. We believe an integrated approach to pond management is the most effective means of solving most pond problems. We have observed that reliance on only one technique, such as repeated algaecide applications, may actually lead to worse problems.
Science-based management means collecting data to scientifically analyze your pond's problems
and designing an appropriate management strategy based on the results. An integrated management
approach means using physical, chemical and biological methods to address a pond's
problems. Physical methods might include redirecting surface runoff to limit nutrient inputs,
aerating to improve oxygen concentrations, or applying dyes to limit light penetration,
thereby reducing weed growth. Chemical methods may include application of algaecides and
herbicides to kill weeds and algae, or application of polymers to tie up the phosphorus that
contributes to weed and algae growth. Biological methods include applications of beneficial
bacteria and enzymes to digest muck and tie up nutrients, or planting aquatic plants and
buffer strips to prevent erosion.
Cason & Associates offers three types of pond management programs to fit your individual needs. All pond programs are administered by trained, licensed and insured professional aquatic applicators.
Our Pond Assistance Program is for the do-it-yourself pond owner. Upon request, one of our biologists will deliver the products that you need to manage your pond, instruct you in their proper use and answer any questions that you may have.
Our "On Call" Pond Management Program is a contracted service that allows the customer to request specific pond management services, such as weed and algae treatments, as they are needed. A biologist or technician will typically be able to perform the requested service within five business days.
Our Integrated Pond Management Program is a contracted service with regularly scheduled treatment intervals. Services may include application of nutrient management products, dye, algaecides, herbicides, muck-digesting bacteria, and maintenance of aeration systems and fountains.
An on-site pond management consultation is a great place to start to determine the appropriate management program for your individual needs. Please give us a call for more information.
Custom Aeration Systems
In natural lakes and rivers, the oxygen need for biological processes is supplied by the atmosphere.
Atmospheric diffusion of oxygen into these systems is provided by wave action or the flow of water.
In man-made ponds there is generally insufficient circulation or movement of water to provide desirable
levels of oxygen. The resulting low oxygen levels are associated with algal blooms, organic sediment
(muck) accumulation, noxious odors, reduced water clarity and fish kills.
Aerating a lake or pond can reverse these trends or prevent them from occurring. However, the aeration system must be properly designed and sized to meet the individual needs of your lake or pond. There are dizzying arrays of aeration systems on the market. Most of them are inadequate for dealing with lake or pond water quality problems.
The biologists at Cason & Associates will design an aeration system to fit the individual needs of your lake or pond based on criteria such as basin depth and morphology, dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles, hydraulic residence, chemical and biological oxygen demands, and internal nutrient cycling. Our technician can then build and install the system.
Native Aquatic Plantings
Aquatic plants can greatly enhance the aesthetic value of your pond or lakefront. Did you know that they can
provide many benefits to the ecological health of your lake or pond as well? Aquatic plants provide food and cover
for birds and other wildlife. They also provide nursery and feeding areas for fish. Plants also tie up nutrients
that may otherwise contribute to algae blooms. They filter runoff-born sediments and stabilize shorelines.
Cason & Associates provides native, Wisconsin genotype plants that are grown in local nurseries, not harvested from the wild. We have found that tubers and plug stock, while less expensive initially, tend to have poor survival. Therefore we have mature, fully rooted stock grown especially for our clients.
We also seed native prairie and wet meadow plants around newly constructed pond sites for a natural pond environment. Call us today to discuss a planting project for your property.
Fish Stocking
Cason & Associates provides native fish for stocking into lakes and ponds. Our biologists can recommend
a stocking program that will help you to maintain a balanced fishery. All fish sold are grown in licensed
hatcheries and are veterinary certified to be disease-free. Fish species that are commonly available include:
- Bluegill
- Hybrid Bluegill
- Largemouth bass
- Smallmouth bass
- Black crappie
- Yellow perch
- Walleye
- Muskellunge
- Northern pike
- Channel catfish
- Golden shiner
- Fathead minnow
- Brook trout
- Rainbow trout
- Brown trout
Customers must have a current stocking permit or private fish farm registration prior to delivery. Cason & Associates can provide assistance with obtaining the necessary permits or licenses. Fish deliveries occur in spring and fall. Our delivery area includes most of Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Quantities are often limited. Please call to obtain an order form.
Quality Fishery Management
Owning your own lake or pond means that you have the opportunity to create and sustain a premiere quality fishery.
Whether it is bass, walleye, pike, musky, catfish, trout or panfish, you can have the quality fishery that you may
have driven hundreds of miles to find in the past - on your very own property!
Cason & Associates has the resources and the expertise to help you realize your dream. Our biologists can assess your lake or pond - whether it has been newly constructed or whether you have an existing fishery - and formulate a management plan for creating a quality fishing experience. If you are in the planning phases, our biologists can also help you to design a pond with fishing and fish habitat in mind! Please call to set up a consultation.
Pond Construction and Design
The staff at Cason & Associates have helped many people realize the dream of having their own pond. A properly
designed and constructed pond will provide you and your family with many years of enjoyment and relaxation. A
well-constructed pond will add considerable value to your estate as well. Many people consider adding a pond to
their property an excellent investment that pays for itself in increased real estate values.
The professional design services offered by Cason & Associates are well worth the money. Poorly designed and built ponds can mean increased maintenance and decreased recreational, aesthetic and property value. Believe it or not, we have more requests for fixing poorly designed ponds than we do for new pond construction!
If you need someone to take your pond project from start to finish, or if you plan to dig your own pond and just
need to talk about ideas for a couple of hours, Cason & Associates is here to help. We offer the following services:
- Site evaluation
- Permitting assistance
- Wetland delineation
- Design and layout
- Excavation / well drilling / construction coordination
- Pond liner installation
- Water control structure installation
- Fish stocking, aquatic plant installation
- Aeration system installation
Questions? Email: or call: 877-309-8408
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