Seasonal care calendar
December pond care in Pennsylvania
Ice season. Keep people safe and get next year's permits moving.
- Safety
Never assume pond ice is safe. Springs, inflowing streams, current, wind and snow cover can thin ice over short distances, and ice near shore is often weaker. Penn State's ice table says to stay off even clear ice that is less than 4 inches thick, and to check ice every time. An aerator running under ice keeps part of the pond open on purpose, so treat ice on an aerated pond as unsafe.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source: Ice Fishing: ice safety tips This may be outdated
- Care
If snow covers the ice for a long time, plants under it stop making oxygen. Clear part of the ice only where it is safe to do so.
Source: Winterkill in Ponds
- Permit timing
Grass carp next season? PFBC grass carp permit needed for each waterbody before buying or stocking; $85 fee, returned if denied. Start the application early.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source: 58 Pa. Code § 71a.10, Triploid grass carp This may be outdated
- Safety
Check your pond safety gear and signs; Penn State recommends a rescue post and posted emergency information year-round, because drownings can happen in any season.
This calendar repeats every year. Permit reminders show the date we last checked the rule.
The Seasonal Pond Letter
Free, four times a year: mid-February, May 1, mid-August and November 1: what to do and file before each season. Sign up.