Orange Grove Ponds

This report focuses on the problem of the current state of the California University State University, Northridge (CSUN) Orange Grove pond. It will provide an informational analysis on what sort of organisms thrive in a pond, how they are able to thrive, and how to manage a pond. It also includes strategic ways to maintaining a pond, such as using a efficient water filtration system, introducing eco-friendly biolife to control algae population. There will be a recommendation section that will discuss what we can do as a community, to ensure that the pond will be of utmost highest quality. Cost and feasibility will be included and justification on why these items should be taken into consideration.

Table of Contents
Introduction
A pond is made up of a body of water that is separated accordingly to how much sunlight is absorbed through the depth of the pond. This process of separation is known as thermal stratification, in which water closer to the surface of the pond is less dense than the water on the bottom which is much more cooler and denser. The difference in temperature is what allows for separation of layers, and acts as a physical barrier so that there will no be interaction between the two layers. The reason why there is a difference in the density of the same body of water, is due to the dissolved oxygen (DO) intake of water. With cooler water having a greater capacity to hold oxygen compared to warmer bodies of water. Usually this problem is fixed with the combination of photosynthesis from plants that produces oxygen, and wave to wind action that help breaks down thermal stratification and allow for water on the surface of the pond to be oxygenated by
CSUN experiences temperate climate temperatures that will result in warmer waters which will lead to lower DO capacity that will favor algae growth. Algae growth is common in many ponds and usually is not harmful if the growth is not substantial, but if left unchecked can undergo many cycles of cell division increasing their numbers exponentially. Eventually simply dieing after the end of the two week cell cycle period of the algae. After it will become an “aquatic compost pile” according to Landscape and Irrigation (2006). Which will sink to the bottom of the pond, where it will be used as nutrients for future algae and aquatic weeds. This virtually endless cycle, is known as nutrient