Dumping water in the pond.

[ready2fish]

I am looking into installing a watersource heatpump in my home and the contractor wants to dump the discharge water, about 10 gallons per minute when its running, into the lake. They say the water would be around 60 degrees in the summer and around 40 in the winter. The total lake in over 100 acres. I am reserching to see if this would have any adverse effect on the body of water.
Thanks for any replys.

[Shorty]

You should be fine. The only drawback I see is having a small thin/open spot of water near the discharge during the wintertime which could be dangerous. My folks heat pump discharched into their pond and one winter they had their 15 year old dog drowned in that spot. On a positive note that small open spot in the winter also "likely" allowed O2 to transfer into the water and helped prevent a winter fish kill.

[ready2fish]

Thanks for your reply. I thought about thin ice and figure if I discharge into deeper water I should be OK. What I need is something to show the lake association to get their approval to dump into the lake. They asked for something from the State Game & Parks but I have not been able to find anything yet.

[bigjigs]

I wonder of the discharge water could warm part of the lake enough to support threadfin shad. They're kind of like gizzard shad except they only grow to 4-5 inches and will not outgrow predation. If its not against any laws and if the lake would support them, they would be a near perfect forage. Maybe someone else who knows more about this could chime in?

[Dad O.]

Originally Posted by bigjigs

I wonder of the discharge water could warm part of the lake enough to support threadfin shad. They're kind of like gizzard shad except they only grow to 4-5 inches and will not outgrow predation. If its not against any laws and if the lake would support them, they would be a near perfect forage. Maybe someone else who knows more about this could chime in?

Life HistoryThreadfin shad are more likely to be found in waters with a noticeable current and are usually in the upper five feet of water. They are quite temperature sensitive, with die-offs reported at temperatures below 45°F. Spawning begins in the spring when water temperatures reach approximately 70°F, and may continue into the summer. During spawning, one or more females are accompanied by several males.

[Shorty]

Having the discharge move water near the surface will help oxygenate the water.

[MrPike]

You can also do a closed loop system with pipe coils sunk to the bottom of the pond.

Think of the discharge water as a spring. That is about what it is. It is done a lot, in fact one of the ponds here in the city of Blair is filled almost 100% by discharge water from the Middle schools open loop system.

[skeeter85]

I am by no means an expert and I'm more asking a question than stating a fact but....

Wouldn't putting it in deeper water run the risk of super cooling in the winter?

[bigjigs]

Thanks Daryl!!

Originally Posted by whitetips

Would 10 gallons per minute of 40 degree F water support threadfin shad during the long, cold Nebraska winter?

NO.

And there are rules that apply to the import of any fish into the state.

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
daryl.bauer@nebraska.gov
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/blog/blog.asp

P.S. Please feel free to share this message with others.

[ready2fish]

Personally I cant see how 10 gpm will even be noticed in the lake unless it dumped in at the surface which would keep it from freezing. Dumping the water at 10 foot deep seems like no big deal in a 100 acre lake unless every home on the lake was doing this. With water being drawn from the ground and dumped into the lake in fairly close proximity one would think it is pretty much an equal exchange. My problem is still this, I need to show the association facts, not it shoulds or I thinks but non the less, thanks for all the replys. If someone should run acrost an article of substance on this subject, please sent it my way.
Thanks

[JKL]

I would really look into this before doing it. I know that there are many environmental laws that could prohibit an open loop system in the pond. Some places do not even allow a closed loop system in the ponds. Another thing to consider is you will have much more maintenance required on the open loop system since it will require some type of filtration to protect your circulating pumps.

[Shorty]

Clucker, if it's like the one my dad had the water being discharge was well water, pond water was never used as part of the intake for the heat pump.

[fish2]

If you do this make sure you have a valve cut into the line to allow you to use the water if needed. My parents have a similar system that they water their lawn with in the summer.

[The River Rat]

Originally Posted by skeeter85

I am by no means an expert and I'm more asking a question than stating a fact but....

Wouldn't putting it in deeper water run the risk of super cooling in the winter?

sorry guy's I'm a dummy but I'm trying. What is "super-cooling"?

[skeeter85]

Originally Posted by The River Rat

sorry guy's I'm a dummy but I'm trying. What is "super-cooling"?

It's lowering the temperature of something to below it's freezing point without it becoming frozen... This can happen if you run an aerator or fountain in the winter that would keep the water moving preventing it from freezing but still reaching sub freezing temperatures.