I have a bunch of 3-7" mesquites and a couple cedar elms on the water side of the dam on a 1 acre pond. Should they be removed? If yes, when and what is the best way to do so? TIA

SanAntoneAg said:

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Cut at ground level with chainsaw. Immediately apply Remedy/diesel mix on cut stump.

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This or Tordon RTU

I toured two guys, one from TPWD and another from USDA around our place for some feedback when we first bought it. They suggested leaving a couple of big trees that were providing afternoon shade for the tank. They said the shade more than offset what they were consuming.

In the OPs case, a bunch of smaller mesquites probably do more harm that good.

I'm worried about my trees being on the actual dam of the pond though? I agree with leaving trees around the pond in other areas.

barnag said:

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I'm worried about my trees being on the actual dam of the pond though? I agree with leaving trees around the pond in other areas.

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Unless they hinder you driving of top of the dam, the trees you leave will help prevent erosion of the bank. Or their root system will I should say. We treat cut stumps immediately after cutting with Grazon pd.
I leave native cypress trees and cut down chinese tallows and willows. Leave a few oaks also. We mow/ drive on top of the banks.

Agree with those that say leave em.

There is a chance the roots will cause issues with the dam, but more so if the roots are substantial now and then rot away.

Always a tough decision. On one hand, you want fish shade. On the other, there is no tree root system on this planet that aids in the stability of a dam, especially if that tree dies and leaves a massive spiderweb of rotting channels for water.

Biggest conundrum ever… build a 2nd dam further back…

Leave them

schmellba99 said:

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barnag said:

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I'm worried about my trees being on the actual dam of the pond though? I agree with leaving trees around the pond in other areas.

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Trees on damns or levees weaken the structure. Remove them.

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This …. We cut a bunch of mesquite off a tank dam with a skid steer Forestry blade then hauled them off and stacked them.. needed to get the dam cleaned up

Do not leave them.

They will consume much more water than you'd like. Then after they grow you are forced to keep them. If they die and roots rot out you are creating voids without clay content to seal the dam which can compromise you with leaks

Cut them down and then anchor the cut trees to the bottom. Instant honey holes you know about and kill it fishing.

First thing they taught us in Fisheries 101 was to not keep trees on your earthen dams. Shade is good habitat for fish…but plant or leave any nice shade producing trees up from around your banks other than the dam.
You can have a few around your tank/pond and you really will not notice a lot of water usage.