Soil Deposits in Pond

This is a ¾ acre Iowa farm pond. The surface area of the pond has remained unchanged from year to year. Unfortunately, the water depth and quality have suffered from the effects of soil disposition. The once nearly 13-foot-deep water is now in jeopardy as soil continues to wash in. This video was taken from nearly 30 feet off of the shoreline.
 

Possible Guiding, Compelling and/or Anchoring Questions

• What would lead to this pond filling in with soil from a neighboring field?
• What effects might this form of eroding soil have on the ecosystems within the pond?
• What effect might this erosion of soil have on livestock, birds and other mammals who drink from this pond?
• How might this have been prevented?

Classroom Suggestions

• Use for Life Science as a launch point for human effect upon the earth. Discuss, what are the main sources of erosion in Iowa? What material in the video has been eroded? What caused the erosion? How will this erosion impact the usefulness of this farm pond? How could this have been prevented? Is there any way to fix it? Discuss or journal possible solutions, prepare to discuss your ideas. 

Related Resources

Erosion and Soil: Video demonstrates how water may cause erosion through varying scenarios.
What Is Soil Erosion and Conservation?: Video discusses the varying methods, as well as the importance of soil conservation.