Which practice can help prevent excess nutrients from runoff into ponds?

Maintaining a good sod and grass cover around the pond is effective in preventing excess nutrients from runoff because vegetation plays a crucial role in filtering out pollutants before they can enter the aquatic ecosystem. The root systems of grasses and other plants help to stabilize the soil, reducing erosion and the associated nutrient runoff when it rains. Additionally, this ground cover can absorb and utilize nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, effectively decreasing the likelihood of these nutrients reaching the pond, which could otherwise contribute to problems like algal blooms.

In contrast, allowing livestock access to the pond can lead to increased nutrient input from animal waste, which can significantly affect water quality. Using chemical fertilizers near the water's edge is counterproductive, as fertilizers can easily wash into the pond with rainfall or irrigation, enriching the water with nutrients. Planting invasive species can disrupt the local ecosystem and often leads to further problems, such as increased competition with native plants and altered water chemistry, ultimately worsening the issue of nutrient overload. Therefore, implementing proper vegetative cover is the best practice for nutrient management in relation to pond health.