Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service personnel will bring two workshops in pond management and aquatic weed control to Frankfort.

The trainings are scheduled for April 17-18 at the Franklin County Extension office. Program organizers hope to give participants a better understanding of the possibilities of a properly built, well-maintained pond.

Kentucky farms are home to more than 233,000 ponds that serve multiple purposes including water for livestock, crop irrigation and recreational fishing. Proper management can help these systems fulfill their potential.

Bill Wurts, Forrest Wynne and Bob Durborow, aquaculture extension specialists with Kentucky State University, will lead both trainings in Central Kentucky.

Their April 17 presentation will focus on aquatic weed control. It begins at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. EDT.

During the training, specialists will emphasize proper chemical selection, applicator techniques, safety and record keeping. Additional discussion topics include aquatic plant and algae identification, methods of algae control, and herbicide and algaecide use.

Pesticide applicator continuing education units will be available for three specific hours in category 5 and two general hours for categories 10 and 12.

The following day’s workshop is about farm and recreational pond management. It will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m. The workshop will give participants a broad perspective about effective management tactics for ponds used for agricultural purposes and recreational fishing.  Discussion topics include pond safety, water quality, managing fish populations, fish health, proper site selection, construction methods and controlling unwanted aquatic plants.

The events are free and open to the public. Preregistration is not required, but to be assured of receiving workshop materials, contact Wurts at 270-365-7541, ext. 200 or wwurts@uky.edu; Wynne at 270-247-2334 or fwynne@email.uky.edu; or Keenan Bishop, Franklin County agriculture and natural resources extension agent, at 502-695-9035 or kbishop@uky.edu.