The distance between the building and the pond rim is about 14' maximum. Seeking advice on erosion control matting and choice of seed or sod grasses.

Volunteer Audrey Kolloff, right, talks Tuesday about factors that contribute to soil erosion as she and Wendy Garland, also a volunteer, left, survey the shoreline of Long Pond in Belgrade.

Iowa NRCS Area Resource Soil Scientist Jason Steele trains NRCS staff and build stronger relationships with farmers.

In 2014 the project reduced soil erosion into Woods Pond by 19 tons. Even greater erosion control benefits are planned for this year. The project started March 1, 2014 and runs until March 2016.

But last spring, record rains turned the man-made pond into a costly problem. Rain and runoff filled it to the brim and caused erosion, leaving a small cliff at the shoreline.

In 2017, the Hogan/Whitney Pond Association and DEP led a watershed survey to document erosion throughout the Hogan/Whitney Pond Watershed. This survey was funded 100% by private donations.

I’ve seen ponds that are incredibly old for our part of the state that have survived generations just fine. I’ve also seen newly built ponds with terrible erosion problems from bare soil or ...

Without plants, the pond is more likely to experience soil erosion and intake nutrient-rich grass clippings, both of which can degrade water quality by increasing nutrient levels.

Students Connor DeLusant, 17, Nhu Do, 19, Tyler Parent, 16, and Roberto Tanenbaum, 18, gather near a retention pond for a cattail plant research study, Wednesday June 11, 2014, at Oakcrest High ...