Potassium permanganate is an expensive treatment.
Therefore, it is important to properly estimate water volume
to achieve both a cost-effective and biologically effective
treatment. Underestimating water volume will result in an
insufficient concentration of chemical, and retreatment
would be necessary. Overestimating water volume can
result in a greater-than-desired concentration of chemical,
and may injure or even kill fish. Pond volume is measuredin acre-feet (surface acreage multiplied by the average water
depth in feet). One acre-foot is equal to one surface acre
with a depth of one foot.
Estimating pond volume can be difficult when a pond has
an irregular shape and varying water depth. The surface
area of a square or rectangular pond can be easily estimated
by multiplying the pond length by the pond width. Your local
Soil Conservation Service or County Extension Service
Office can provide assistance in determining pond acreage
for irregularly- shaped ponds.
The average water depth for ponds with a sloped and flat
bottom can be determined by averaging the shallowest
and deepest water depths. For example, a pond with a
sloping flat bottom that has a maximum depth of six feet
and a minimum depth of four feet would have an average
depth of five feet. Determining the average depth for ponds
with uneven bottoms and widely varying depths requires
measurement of water depth at multiple locations in the
pond using a simple grid or zig-zag sampling approach, in
which all areas of the pond are measured.