Testing Water??

tueller

tueller

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Mar 16, 2012
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Hi Guys, I am looking for some help here. My wife and I just put an offer down on a house. It is surrounded by conservation land which is what I always wanted. I have a two year old son and always wanted to be able to hike with him and the dogs right off of our property.

The land has a lot of small streams that vary in size. They appear to be moving pretty quickly but do have some areas that look more stagnant by some beaver dams. Furthermore, one collects on our property and there is a small pond probably about 100 by 50 feet. It is tough to tell how much circulation it gets from the stream.

So how can I test how clean the streams and pond are? Can I let my dogs drink it? Can I let my 2 yr old play in it and prob accidentally swallow some? Hell if its hot should I take a dunk? Is there a chemical test I can buy similar to what people use for pools? I would also like to prepare for if the pond is going to stink like a sess pool and just be a fly haven in the summer. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thx
 
County/state agencies will do water analysis for you. Inquire with your local agriculture extension service agent. They send you the containers and give instructions on collection. Then they send you a written report. I had a well tested once and an adjacent pond. The pond came back good. The well on the otherhand tested for coliform bacteria, "TNC". Too numerous to count. We cancelled our purchase of the property and moved. As we were moving, my trailer sunk into the lid of the septic tank. 20' from the well.
 
Above advice is good. Bacterial counts are a must for human consumption as well as other contaminants especially if near agriculture. As for the dog I personally wouldn't worry abut bacteria but there may be other contaminants that could be harmful as mention above. Get it tested even if it costs. Moving and stagnant water have nothing to do with water quality.(well that's a bit of a lie but what are you willing to risk)
 
Enjoy your surrounding area sounds like a paradise filled with great adventures with nature and your family.
 
Thx guys. I am going to follow those tips. I also heard there are things you can buy to circulate the water more and chemicals you can buy to kill algae and bacteria.
 
tueller said:
Thx guys. I am going to follow those tips. I also heard there are things you can buy to circulate the water more and chemicals you can buy to kill algae and bacteria.
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There are but... BUT... you can also destroy a natural balance if you are not very careful. And then you need a chemical to fix that. And then you need... Sometimes an aeriator or some recommended fish are a better solution to pond problems. Another resource to check on pond health is your State game and fish agency. Many offer free stocking. Wildlife biology is their forte'.
 
Keep in mind that water quality in ponds and streams can change dramatically based on a variety of circumstances. One dead floating beaver or runoff from a rain event can be a game changer. Surface water is notoriously unpredictable, so don't think that one batch of tests will give you the information you need. Copper sulfate is effective against most algae and granular chlorine will take out most bacteria, but in an unlined pond it's an uphill battle. Applying these chemicals may have adverse effects downstream, and there may be local regulations that prevent application of chemicals. Luckily, dogs and kids have pretty strong immune systems.
 
In a health riparian area adding chemicals to a water body just to please human needs is a nono in my opinion. Let nature be nature and enjoy her at her finest.
 
Yup not planning on messing w/ nature. Natural landscaping is what drew me to it in the first place. I will get it tested first and take it from there. Thx to all. Someone at work told me about thepondguy.com. Lots of good info there too.
 
Also, ask them how often they will test for you. Where I worked once, we were given a test every week so that we could make sure the lake was "safe" to swim in. Getting a test every so often would be a good idea, and over time you'll be able to figure out when its safe just by the past conditions. If you are using well water, get it tested for nitrite as well, important for future kids.
 
Dogs are designed to eat raw turds,I don't think a little stagnant water is gonna out nasty a pile of crap.It just dont put that silly grin on their face when they get caught drinking it.
 
I don't know your location. If there are beaver dams and evidence of animal activity, there is likely to be giardia present in the streams and ponds. Nasty stuff. Bad news for your dogs, your kid, and you.
 
Odds are your dogs will drink it no matter your wish unless kept away from the streams/ ponds. Parenting is up to you but I wouldn't let a two year old swim in a beaver pond. You should filter/treat the water like any used during hiking if yea want to drink it. Use basic common sense. It is nature. It is what it is.
 
I would't worry about it too much. Just don't drink the water. Surface water changes bacteriologically very quicky and any tests you have done are just for that day. If you have a well, I would suggest you have it tested. The basic tests fecal coliforms, total coliforms, and e-coli aren't very expensive. I'd also do lead, and nitrate/nitrite. These are the required tests for FHA and VA financing where a private drinking water well is the main source of drinking water at a home.
 
22, its true that conditions change, but it would be helpful to know if your pond is always contaminated with poop, maybe from a leaking septic system, or just gets contaminated after heavy rains. Plus you never know what else might be in there, and that might matter if you want to stock it with fish. People can be pretty bad about disposing things, and lots of people have dumped stuff in ponds just to get rid of it. At least you'd be able to tell the risk of swimming.

Another thought for the pond would be looking into an aeration windmill. That will help with smells and stagnation, also thins the ice in winter, so that is something to think about if you live in an area that freezes. I don't know if aeration helps as much with mosquitoes, but having a healthy pond that the birds and frogs like will help, as will fish.

If you have beaver dams, one way to keep the water flowing is to rip out a section, sink in a 6-8 foot chunk of 4 inch DWV pipe and fill a bit over top. They will rebuild over the top, but they don't plug the pipe if they can't hear the water flow, or so the theory goes. That can keep things from stagnating, without having to worry too much about animal control. Beavers regulate their own populations pretty well, so if they can't make a pond bigger, some will move on. You can trap or shoot as well, but to each his own. They are pretty cool to watch though! By limiting the space you give them, you keep the advantage of the flood control, as well as the habitat for everything else that benefits. A stream is cool, but a diverse set of ecosystems is even better. Obviously how much do do will depend as well on your local regs and what is yours vs what is state land. But you never know and with many natural resource departments being strapped for cash, a homeowner who wants to help maintain the area might be very welcome to them. ya never know.
 
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