I recently moved into a new/old house and there is a small (appx 20x40) pond in one of the small pastures. The property has not been well maintained in recent years. I took a look at the pond the other day and now I have questions....
I can't tell if there is a constant inflow of water - we've had a lot of rain this spring and it seems like the pond is primarilly supplied by run-off. There doesn't seem to be a defined outflow - what water leaves the pond just sort of fades into the ground as it moves across the pasture. There appears to be a large amount of decaying vegitation in the pond which is surrounded by brush and a few trees.
My questions are these:
Is this pond worth maintaining to impound water, or is it just a big puddle?
I'm concerned about bugs - if I keep it, in addition to cutting back the trees and brush, should I attempt to remove the dacaying material from the pond?
How about some form of areation - a small fountain or...?
In general, what would be the best way to deal with this? Is it an asset, or just a problem?

Any advice, input appreciated!


Gregg