City proud of Walker Park pond successes

The city of Blytheville recently instituted a program to improve the water quality in the 5-acre pond in Walker Park. Part of that effort was stocking tilapia. Tilapia are selective feeders of the type of microscopic plant (blue-green algae) that is at the root of the water quality problems that have caused annual fish kills in the past.

Blytheville's parks and recreation multi-pronged approach was to drive off the multitude of waterfowl visiting the pond, maintain an aeration system that helps to circulate the water as well as add oxygen and to add tilapia fish annually. The city states that there was no fish kill this year.

Sam Henry, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Research Biologist, stated "This is excellent news. Your pro-active approach yields the result we all hoped for."

Henry said "well done" to the city of Blytheville and the city's leadership for making the commitment to solve the problem.

Elroy Brown, Blytheville's Parks and Recreation director says, "we are very happy with the results thus far, and we plan to continue to work closely with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission."