Hot, dry weather is normally not the best of conditions under which to be tackling major pond related activities. However, if your fish population has become stunted or if your pond has been overtaken with unwanted species of fishes, hot, dry weather can be your friend.
Renovation can be a useful tool to jumpstart a management program on a newly acquired pond as well.
Most renovation programs utilize the piscicide (fish pesticide) rotenone in either liquid or powder form. Rotenone kills fish by suffocation, restricting the ability of blood vessels to take oxygen to the body through the gills. Hot water (at least 70 deg F or higher), which holds less oxygen than cold water, facilitates the pesticide's successful usage.
Fish killed by Rotenone should not be consumed and water from a pond recently treated should not be used to irrigate crops. Bodies of water treated are normally safe to restock 2 to 4 weeks after treatment. Rotenone is a Restricted Use pesticide in Texas and is only available for purchase by licensed pesticide applicators.
In order to be successful with a Rotenone program, a pond owner must accurately estimate the volume of water in their pond, which requires measuring both the average depth and the surface area.
The following publications will provide assistance for people planning to Rotenone a pond:
Using Rotenone to Renovate Fish Populations in Farm Ponds (MS State Univ. Ext. Service)
Calculating Water Volume in Ponds (Cornell Cooperative Extension) (Simple Steps) PondVolume.pdf
Calculating Area and Volume of Ponds and Tanks (Southern Regional Aquaculture Center) (More Complex) 183662-103fs.pdf
