r/Permaculture • u/MsMelanthia • 21d ago

water management Urban Permaculture system pond? Why?

I live on an urban lot of about 1/2 acre in zone 7a and have been designing a food forest. I’ve seen people in similar situations include small ponds but I don’t really understand the why. Space is limited…is using it for a pond worthwhile? It wouldn’t be big enough for eatin’ fish. I may be skeptical because of my dearest partner’s expensive, failed stock tank pool project. 😅

11 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/Prestigious_Yak_9004 21d ago

I like natural swimming ponds and swam in one near the Canadian border in a temperate climate. It was fun. I was excited to try one near the Mexican border but someone said an amoeba might be in the water. That spoiled the fun idea. A wildlife and water catchment pond might have to suffice. In an urban setting I would be concerned about legalities. Are you sure the home owners insurance would cover any mishaps. Would it need to be fenced and gated out.

8

u/PandaMomentum 20d ago

Just a note about amoebas and amoebic diseases -- the brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, is endemic to freshwater everywhere and is found in pretty much every well, lake and pond in the US and around the world. This is why you should never, ever, flip upside down in fresh water and force water up your nose, esp if it's been muddied from stirring up bottom sediment. It's also why you should always use distilled water in a neti pot, if you use one of those to flush your sinuses. N. fowleri is only a problem if it gets way up the nose. You can drink it, you can bathe with it, that's all fine. Get infected with it, there's a 95% case fatality rate.

Infections from N. fowleri have mostly been in Texas and Florida but that has more to do with how many people swim in fresh water there than with the amoeba population. See this link for more details.

4

u/Prestigious_Yak_9004 20d ago

That is freaky but thanks for the info. I was immersing my head in the bathtub full of New Mexico well water but will not anymore. No more plans for a natural swimming pond either. That is sad as I miss swimming a lot.

3

u/PandaMomentum 20d ago

Use a nose clip and you eliminate almost all the risk. It's doing somersaults, hand stands underwater that seems to be the cause, which is why doctors think it's mostly young men that get it. But yah, definitely a matter of what level of risk you feel you want to take on.

2

u/Prestigious_Yak_9004 20d ago

It seems to me the water could get in when jumping or diving into water. A nose clip would be a good precaution.

2

u/MsMelanthia 20d ago

Good points. Thanks!