Creating a rain garden or backyard pond can be a beautiful way to attract wildlife and make your home an oasis. However, water features can cause a bit of a headache, too, sometimes, as one homeowner has learned.
One property owner asked fellow landscapers for help and explained their stagnant water woes to the Reddit community. In the post, they wrote, "I've noticed an area of the water feature has slow to almost stagnant flow. This creates a prime location for algae formation. … Any ideas on how to remedy this??"
The post includes two photos of the water feature — a small rocky pool with water running into it from above. On one edge of the pool, green algae can be seen in the stagnant portion of the water.
Adding more naturalistic features like this to your yard is a great way to provide pollinators, birds, and even amphibians with food, shelter, and water. Direct Native Plants writes, "Water especially stands out as one of the most important elements for a successful garden design for native wildlife."
If you are not quite ready to add a pond to your home, simply adding some native plants can go a long way to supporting your local ecosystem. Plus, these plants can save you money on yard maintenance while creating a haven for you and wildlife.
Landscape enthusiasts and even a water expert had advice about the stagnant water in the OP's pond.
"Hey! I am a water resources engineer. I can help!" they wrote. "Look at river geomorphology. If you put more material on the inside where it's clear (a big stone, gravel, whatever), it will force it around at higher velocities. It also helps it to look more natural."
"Add some water plants," another commenter suggested. "They will deprive the algae of nutrients, and it will look better." The OP responded, "Thanks... I didn't know that. Going to try some."
With a little help and a few extra plants or rocks, this water feature will likely return to its beautiful clear state.
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