Pond Maintenance

Ducks and algae seen at the pond by the 6th green

The water features here at Willow Ridge stretch across the entire course with eleven of our eighteen holes having a water feature or very close to water. Keeping the ponds clean and properly maintained keeps the course looking complete and well kept. The aesthetic features waterways offer, as well as their ability to turn an easy hole into a challenging hole are what make them so important.

Water feature from the red tee on the 4th hole

In the past we have tried to keep up with pond maintenance with varying levels of success. This year we have enlisted the help of a pond maintenance company, and together came up with a maintenance schedule to treat the ponds. These treatments help to make the ponds more environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing. Monthly treatments to reduce the presence of algae and aquatic weed pressure work by limiting how far light can penetrate the water. Reducing the amount of sunlight in the ponds helps to give them a deep color. We have purchased grass carp, these freshwater herbivorous fish feed exclusively on aquatic weeds. They are a great environmentally friendly way to limit aquatic weeds while also increasing biodiversity.

The aquatic plants seen growing around the pond banks are maintained as a buffer zone. These areas of tall vegetation help to catch surface water and subsurface flow containing nutrients. Without these buffer zones, the nutrients will reach the water more easily and can cause increase instances of algal blooms.

Buffer zone visible to the right of the 16th green

The ponds and streams provide habitat for many different types of local wildlife. There are multiple species of fish, turtles, frogs and birds that all use the ponds as a means for survival. Snapping turtles and eastern painted turtles can be seen bathing in the sun on warm afternoons, an egret patiently waits for a passing meal while an osprey circles overhead looking for its next meal. Mallards can be seen diving for food as the barn swallows swoop around for insects just over the surface of the water. The list goes on and on, the water features at Willow Ridge are home to a wide variety of wild life. Having well maintained ponds not only provide a better overall look of the course, but they draw in unsuspecting wildlife. Who knows, you may even see a bald eagle.

Bald Eagle seen over the winter at Willow Ridge CC