Pond water usage and the environment
If you’re like me, you care about the environment — and maybe your first reaction to seeing a backyard pond is to wonder: Isn’t that just a waste of water? How much water do ponds use?
Actually, the opposite is true. A properly built pond (not a leaking disaster of a pond, but a well built pond) uses less water than the same space covered in traditional lawn. Surprised? I was too!
How often should lawns be watered?
According to denverwater.org in Denver, Colorado, “Watering two days a week should be sufficient during most of the summer. If needed, water a third day during extreme heat or dry periods. Water trees and shrubs as needed, but not between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Shrubs and perennials need half as much water as lawns.”
I think a lot of people water more than that. They didn’t even mention ponds, but that’s ok, I have looked at the numbers.
A closer look...
I found this at denverwater.org It is specifically about how often one should water a lawn in Denver, Colorado.
“Watering two days a week should be sufficient during most of the summer. If needed, water a third day during extreme heat or dry periods. Water trees and shrubs as needed, but not between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Shrubs and perennials need half as much water as lawns.”
Focusing on a grassy area, let’s say the hose with a sprinkler (or a sprinkler system) will run for at least 30 minutes. I think a lot of people who use a hose and a sprinkler go for an hour and I know there have been multiple times that I have gotten distracted and run it for several hours. A hose puts out roughly 1000 gallons in one hour. (https://www.wsscwater.com/understandusage).
If we watered twice a week for 25 weeks and add 4 more times because we know we need 3 times a week in the hot season (In the Front Range area we start watering the beginning of May and stop in October) it comes to 54 water sessions at an average of 1 hour each, that is 54,000 gallons of water!
How much water does a lawn use?
The average size yard in the USA is 1/5th of an acre. To water the whole thing one time with 1 inch of water 5430 gallons of water will be used. People typically water their lawns twice a week. We probably water for 28 weeks. Maybe not all of us water twice a week, Lets say we water 40 times a year. That is a whopping 217,200 gallons a year for an average size yard! Before covering your whole yard in rocks, remember that greenery provides an ecosystem and cools the air compared to rocks. There are better ways to xeriscape.
The hose with a sprinkler (or a sprinkler system) will run for at least 30 minutes. I think a lot of people who use a hose and a sprinkler go for an hour and I know there have been multiple times that I have gotten distracted and run it for several hours (or even over night). A hose puts out roughly 1000 gallons in one hour. (https://www.wsscwater.com/understandusage). So, a 30-minute session uses 500 gallons, assuming only one hose is running.
How much water does a pond use?
Now compare that to a pond of the same size (about 15 × 15 feet, or 225 square feet). Ponds lose water mainly through evaporation. In Colorado, that’s usually 2 inches per week, sometimes 3 inches during really hot spells.
Average weekly refill = 280–420 gallons
Over a season = about 7,500 gallons
That’s a huge difference — 50,000 gallons for grass vs. 7,500 for a pond!
The Bigger Environmental Picture – Living water!
Water usage is important and did you know that backyard ponds actually benefit the local ecosystem. Natural habitats are shrinking everywhere as more apartments, houses, (and pharmacies) go up..
- Wildlife support: We have seen a plethora of birds, ducks (yes I know they are a bird), frogs, crawdads, dragonflies, butterflies, snails, frogs, bees other critters in and at our pond. Here in Colorado, you may have had wild animals drinking at your pond like deer, bears, elk, or even mountain lions or foxes. (don’t worry, if you are in well in the city you won’t see these guys). These and other animals and insects are critical to a healthy larger ecosystem. Even small ponds support birds, frogs, crawdads, dragonflies, butterflies, bees, and other life!
- Cleaner air: Running water captures dust and pollutants, helping to filter the air.
- Less pollution: A pond means less lawn to mow — which means less gas burned and fewer emissions. Of course, you may have an electric lawn mower…it’s amazing how much more quiet they are.
- Cooling effect: Water keeps the surrounding area cooler. A pond can lower nearby temperatures by 10° or more compared to rock or concrete.
What About…?
Concrete ponds: Ecosystem ponds (liner, rocks, plants) support far more life than bare concrete ponds and usually need fewer chemicals. But the evaporation rate doesn’t change!
Water features or bubbling rocks? Some waterfalls, fountains or rocks create a lot of splashing. This water is going to evaporate faster because of the splashing and spreading the water out on hot rocks.
How else do ponds affect the environment?
Temperature
Did you know that a pond cools the area around it? Think about the temperature difference between rock or flagstone and pond water. It can be 10 degrees or more! A pond helps keep the surrounding environment from heating up as much as it could.
Less pollution
Less usage of a law mower means less gas used and less pollutants create!
Not only that but when the air comes into contact with water, it becomes part of the pond ecosystem. The pond ecosystem cleans and filters out pollutants. Ponds actually help clean the air!
Do ponds have mosquitos?
Mosquitos do not put larvae into moving water. So a pond with good circulation will not add mosquitos to the area. A concrete pond with less circulation has a larger likelihood of having mosquitos than an ecosystem pond does. Remember that there are items left around the yard that we forget about that are the perfect breeding ground for mosquitos. Here are a few:
- plant pot sitting around with weather water
- buckets
- wheelbarrows that are not upside down
- any space that captures even the smallest bit of water that is left to sit.
It takes roughly 8 days for mosquito larvae to go from egg to itchy bump-causing mosquito. So- if this is a concern, please clean up your yard.
If you have stagnant water (water that is not moving) in a pond, you can add mosquito fish. They eat the larvae!
Although you may not see them, bats, frogs, and dragon flies consume HUNDREDS of insects in a single night!
Did you know frogs can eat 100 insects in one night? They do! Your pond gives them a home.
That means if they do not have a habitat that we will have HUNDREDS more insects in the air everyday!!
Ponds and Kids
When it comes to children, the more opportunity for exploration the better! If the kids go outside to play in a rectangle of grass it may not last long. But when there are frogs and butterflies and even FISH to look at, they are going to play all day!
After years of experience with ponds and how they affect the environment in so many ways, my opinion has become informed. Ponds not only do not use as much water as typical lawns, but they benefit the environment in so many ways!
How many gallons of water does your system have?
Good question! Click on this handy dandy gallons calculator to find out about your pond water usage!
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