Markham Pond Aeration

This former carp nursery has been rehabilitated to a bass and bluegill fishery.

Aeration is a common method used to introduce dissolved oxygen into lakes and ponds that are at risk to become oxygen depleted. Our goal at Markham Pond is to support bluegills, a native fish, over winter. Markham Pond is the headwaters to the Phalen Chain of Lakes and was, until recently, a carp nursery. You can read more about carp management in the Phalen Chain of Lakes by following this link. The aerator works with two small air compressors pumping air to diffusers that release tiny bubbles. With increased oxygen, bluegills will be more likely to survive over winter and eat any carp eggs in the spring.

Working with the City of Maplewood we acquired a permit from the DNR to run the aerator. Because the moving air causes openings in the ice, in winter our staff post “Thin Ice” signs around the section of the pond where the aerator is installed. Safety is a priority with this project and as such staff check Markham Pond twice a week during ice season, to ensure all safety precautions are in place. This aerator will help support a bluegill population as a natural way of combating the reintroduction of invasive common carp.