JoAnn Peterson

After hand digging open a spring sealed by nature, trout moved up the outflow from the creek into the spring pool. Watercress grows naturally cropping up aggressively. The trout seem to prefer the 43 degree water emerging from underground to the creek water. No oxygenation is needed.
Why would I use man-made/plastic aquaponics when nature does on its own?

Very interesting idea! I love the thought that this is a traditional practice. I imagine the scorched interior is stronger after this treatment.

Have you tried digging your spring out? The info I have read suggests that the surrounding clay contains the “confined aquifer” your spring is coming up from. I have similar, when I dug directly at the spring emergence it was loose rock and pea gravel. 2 feet off to the side was very thick clay and silt. My digging expanded it from a trickle into a 30 gallon a minute pure spring flow. See if you can increase your flow rate!

We purchased a family property that has many years of neglect, which in some cases is a blessing. Opening up a 100 year old ditch is bringing the big meadow back to solid ground after growing canary grass and cat tails for decades. Undecided about dredging (Corp of Engineers permitted) the glacial bog, but hoping to put in a series of ponds along the drainage ditch toward the creek. My Grandfather had cattle and Timothy in the meadow when the ditches were kept open. The beaver raised the water level with dams in the creek. I am a little old to be starting on this huge endeavor 😜 Silt & Clay under the black peat and volcanic ash with a high water table.