Pond Netting: Protecting People, Birds, Water, and Investments

Pond netting protects people, water sources, and migratory birds from some of the potentially harmful effects of development and industry. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, established in 1919, is one of the oldest wildlife protection laws in the country and protects birds from human activities. Here are a few ways pond netting can be used to protect water supplies, people, birds, and pocketbooks.

Protecting Water Sources

Development changes the land by replacing natural ground cover like spongy soil, trees, and plants with harder surfaces like retail establishments, homes, and streets. When it rains, less water soaks into the soil and more runs into waterways at a faster rate. This rapid runoff can carry pollutants such as sediment, fertilizers, grease, oil, and bacteria from pet waste. While detention ponds serve an important purpose by maintaining natural water sources and protecting habitats near streams, these manmade features often require protection themselves.

Protecting Human Health

Geese are frequently attracted to detention basins and other manmade water features, but their presence can create significant environmental and health concerns. Geese excrement increases levels of fecal coliform in these ponds, and because the water eventually flows downstream, it can become detrimental to human health. Geese may transmit parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia, and scientists have also identified E. coli and Listeria in their droppings.

Other birds, including those that dive for fish and insects in swimming pools, golf courses, and detention basins, also carry germs that can infect humans. One particular concern for disease experts is avian flu; while not all strains are transmissible to humans, they have caused serious infections and even death. Maintaining distance between bird populations and human-use areas is a critical health precaution.

Protecting Wildlife

Humans are not the only ones endangered when wildlife comes into contact with industrial sites. Migratory birds are at risk of injury, illness, and death when they land in retention ponds, particularly those on industrial properties that may be contaminated with oil or other manufacturing byproducts like bitumen, naphthenic acids, and heavy metals. Every year, thousands of migratory birds land on these ponds believing they have found a freshwater haven, only to ingest deadly toxins.

Protecting Your Investment

Federal and state laws, along with international treaties between the U.S. and Canada, are designed to protect migratory birds. Violating these laws can lead to significant financial risks, including lawsuits and hefty fines. For example, oil lease operators can face penalties for accidental bird deaths resulting from uncovered tanks or pits. Beyond regulatory fines, companies also risk substantial losses due to poor public relations; one Arizona company was forced to pay more than $100,000 in fees and fines after a bird-related incident.

Prevention Through Pond Netting

To keep birds away from retention or tailings ponds, developers and industrial operators can cover the water surface with heavy-duty industrial pond netting. This netting acts as a physical barrier that humanely prevents birds from landing on the water. By preventing access, birds are protected from exposure to harsh chemicals and toxins.

Industrial pond netting is an efficient method for managing bird populations at water sites. Available in a variety of sizes and lengths, it is made of strong, knotted nylon mesh. In many states, bird netting is the most economical and reasonable way to meet guidelines for avian protection. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers installing pond netting to be the best approach industrial companies can take to comply with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.