I was wondering if you took a dam that is always muddy water and planted some Catails and under water plants maybe tossed in some minnows or goldfish maybe a bluegill. Would it settle the mud a clarify the water/ make it better quality for the stock.
Yes encouraging a healthy and diverse ecosystem should help with the water quality.
Also if it's possible to slow the water down and encourage a lot of wild plants to grow up around it, that should help trap sediment and keep it from flowing into the pond and also filter the water and let it slowly enter the pond.
Sounds like a neat project! Would love to see some pictures if you have them!
Striving to grow things as naturally, simply, and cheaply as possible! My YouTube channel
So they are spring fill ponds. All the snow melts and the runoff runs down big gully’s so we collect some in dams are dirt is gumbo clay so I think it’s always muddy because the clay is suspended in the water. They all dried out this year. But most years the have water but rarely get more water after the spring rains end.
I have some small pools that I haven't done anything to, except dig them out and let them fill up with water.
They were quickly inhabited by frogs and all kinds of water insects and creatures, and now I have a type of underwater plant growing. So I bet if you build it, they will come.
Striving to grow things as naturally, simply, and cheaply as possible! My YouTube channel