MODIBBO ADAMA UNIVERSITY , YOLA

(MAU) ADAMAWA STATE

TECHNICAL REPORT OF STUDENT INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE (SIWES)

CONDUCTED AT:
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES DEMONSTRATION FISH FARM
BY:
Judith Innocent
FSH/18U/0516
COURSE TITTLE: AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT SURVEY ( 2 UNIT)

COURSE CODE: FSH 409

THE REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES, SCHOOL OF

AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL TECNOLOGY
(SAAT).
FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT INDUSTRIAL WORKS EXPERIENCE
SCHEME
(SIWES)
JUNE ,2023

1
DEDICATION

I Dedicate this SIWES report to God Almighty, my rock in whom my strength is been
renewed for given me wisdom and knowledge in carrying out this repor.

And also I dedicate this report to my parents Mr Innocent Egbo and Mrs Florence Innocent
for their support; financially, prayers and through words of encouragement. All your efforts are
worth commendable, and also to my brother: Emmanuel Innocent , Elizabeth Elias, pricilia
Ebuka and to my "Joy giver" Anastasia Innocent.
I appreciate all your support and efforts to see that my SIWES report was successful, I
sincerely appreciate.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, i would like to extend my profound gratitude God Almighty, the source
of my strength, my rock in whom i found peace. for given me the grace in carrying out mi SIWES
report to end.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Dr A.J Yaji and Dr mrs K.G Michael for their word for
they have made me use my time in a better way.
And also my sincere gratitude goes to my parents Mr Innocent Egbo and Mrs Florence
Innocent for your words of encouragement which has been the lamp to my feet and light to my
path.
And to my Mentor Mr Owoicho Simon i appreciate all your support, encouragement and
constructive advice.

Thank you all for your support during my SIWES practicals.

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Abstract

Aquacultural engineering is the application of engineering principles and procedures to fisheries

and to the culture of aquatic organisms.

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5
 CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION TO SIWES

1.1 MEANING OF SIWES

The five capitalized letters ‘SIWES’ means the “Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme ”.The
Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is an accepted skills programme which
forms part of the approved academic standards in the degree programme for Nigerian
Universities.

1.2 HISTORY OF SIWES

SIWES was established by ITF (Industrial Training Funds) in the year 1973 to solve the problem
of lack of adequate proper skills for employment of tertiary institution graduates by Nigerian
Industries. The Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) was founded to be a skill
training programme to help expose and prepare students of universities, polytechnics and
colleges of education for the industrial work situation to be met after graduation. This scheme
serves as a smooth transition from the classroom to the world of work and further helps in the
application of knowledge. The scheme provides students with the opportunity of acquainting
and exposing themselves to the experience required in handling and managing of equipment
and machinery that are usually not made available in their institutions.

Before this scheme was established, there was a growing concern and trend noticed by
industrialists that graduates of higher institutions lacked sufficient practical background for
employment. It used to be that students who got into Nigerian institutions to study science and

6
technology were not trained in the practical know-how of their various fields of study. As a
result, they could not easily find jobs due to the lack of working experience.

Therefore, the employers thought that theoretical education going on in higher institutions was
not responsive to the needs of the employers of labour. This was a huge problem for thousands
of Nigerians until 1973. It is against this background that the fundamental reason for initiating
and designing the scheme by the fund in 1973/74 was introduced.

The ITF organization (Industrial Training Fund) made a decision to help all interested Nigerian
students and established the SIWES program. It was officially approved and presented by the
Federal Government in 1974. The scheme was solely funded by the ITF during its formative
years but as the financial involvement became unbearable to the fund, it withdrew from the
scheme in 1978. In 1979, the federal government handed over the management of the scheme
to both the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical
Education (NBTE).

Later, in November 1984, the federal government reverted the management and
implementation of the scheme to ITF. In July 1985, it was taken over by the Industrial Training
Fund (ITF) while the funding was solely borne by the federal government. (Culled from Job
Specifications on Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme).

1.3 General Objectives of SIWES

SIWES is strategized for skill acquisition. It is in fact designed to prepare and expose students of
universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to the real-life work situation they would be
engaged in after graduation. Therefore, SIWES is a key factor required to inject and help keep
alive industrialization and economic development in the nation through the introduction and
practical teaching of scientific and technological skills to students. (Culled from Detailed Manual
on SIWES Guidelines and Operations for Tertiary Institutions).

1.4 Objectives of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme include:

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 Provide an avenue for students to acquire industrial skills for experience during their
course of study.
 Expose students to work methods and techniques that may not be available during their
course of study.
 Bridging the gap between theory and practice by providing a platform to apply
knowledge learnt in school to real work situations.
 Enabling the easier and smoother transition from school by equipping students ’ with
better contact for future work placement.
 Introduce students to real work atmosphere so that they know what they would most
likely meet once they graduate.

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 Chapter two

2.0 INTRODUCTION

Fish pond is a confined body of water which is used for the culture of aquatic organisms, it is
also a backbone in aquaculture industry, this is because it is a store of water which enables
farmers to access their stock in captivity. Therefore, the knowledge of its construction and
management is essential in the development of the aquaculture industry. Pond construction refers
to every aspect from pond engineering, site selection and accurate construction of the pond, its
management is as important as its construction, it includes pond liming, fertilization, stocking
etc. this course helps us to learn about all the general principles that encompasses of the site
selection for pond construction, planning, designing, construction as well as management after
construction as well as how to maintain and repair worn out parts of the pond. The best pond
type is the earthen pond as it improves productivity of the water for a better culture of fish due to
the presence of natural foods.

Pond construction is the science that involves the site of the surveying, site selection, land
clearing, excavation and building of an enclosure or open structured used purposely for the
culturing of aquatic resource. However, before embarked on construction certain indispensable
factor such as land, water source, soil type, topography, vegetation type etc. And this factor
could be considered in pond construction irrespective of either it was earthen pond or concrete
pond. And the pond must be sited on a suitable soil such as clay soil and properly constructed to
hold water and availability of quality and quantity of water that would support the aquatic
resource such as fish. Once that is done it is then an imperative in maintaining the pond facilities
which goes a long way in management of the pond The management of small pond of 1-2 acres
are preferable to larger pond because of drainage and harvesting are more easily done. And in
the field in tropics 1 to 1.5metrs depth were recommended for an efficient productivity of the
constructed pond. A very deep pond ponds often stratified and gave raised to an oxygen poor
bottom, although it does not warm up easily and extend the drainage period while shallow pond
are normally invaded with emergent aquatic weed and the available dissolved oxygen were often
being utilized by decaying plant. Consequently, for a properly designed, planned and constructed

9
pond slope of the land should be determined and laying of the bottom were often put in to
consideration
It is important to know those thing required in construction of fish farm structures. These
structures can be in form of ponds, tanks, race ways, net or other related materials can be used. A
fish pond is a confined water body where fish are reared under controlled condition. It could be
earthen or concrete. The earthen can be further divided into two: which are excavated and
embankment pond.

2.1 Aquaculture Engineering

Aquacultural Engineering is concerned with the design and development of effective

aquacultural systems for marine and freshwater facilities. The journal aims to apply the
knowledge gained from basic research which potentially can be translated into commercial
operations. Problems of scale- up and application of research data involve many parameters,
both physical and biological, making it difficult to anticipate the interaction between the unit
processes and the cultured animals.

2.2 Aims and roles of aquaculture engineering

 Aquacultural Engineering aims to develop this bio engineering interface for aquaculture
and welcomes contributions in the following areas: -
 engineering and design of aquaculture facilities
 engineering-based research studies
 construction experience and techniques in-service experience, commissioning,
operation materials selection and their uses

Roles: Aquaculture engineering is concern with improving the quality of human life by
developing and maintaining complex, physical infrastructure necessary for the functioning of
the Mode society.

2.3 Fish pond construction

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Before the actual construction, there are some factors that needs to be studied, examined and
correctly evaluated to ensure that the propose doye is suitable for fish pond construction and
rearing in order to avoid future and costly problems.

2.4 SITE SELECTION AND SURVEY

Site selection There are many factors to be considered when selecting the location of
your pond. Think Economically Choose an area where a limited amount of excavation
will be required to contain, or hold back, a large volume of water. A valley were a
dam can be constructed at a narrow pass is a good example. Think about where you
will get the water to fill your pond. There are two general water sources to consider.

• Overland Drainage: This is surface runoff from precipitation, melting snow or a

spring flowing overland. Drainage area and annual precipitation rates will determine if
the water supply will be adequate. In Monroe County it is recommended that when
building a pond you have a minimum of 20 acres of watershed to 1 acre of water

. • Ground Water: Ponds which acquire water mostly from ground water are often
called water table ponds. They are built by excavating below the water table at the
location. The level of the water will be equal to that of the water table at any given
time. In some cases an underground spring may be present. Springs flow year round
regardless of season.

2.5 FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN SITE SELECTION

2.5.1 Ecological factors.

In order to select a suitable site for aquaculture, the following factors have to be considered on
the site (Pillay, 1977).

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Thses factors include:-

 Topography
 Water supply
 Water quality
 Climate
 Soil characteristics
 Hydrological characteristics
 Biological and operational factors

2.5.2 Topography

The topography of the pond site should be carefully evaluated to minimize costly soil removal.
Ideally, the topography of the land should be relatively flat, permitting construction of a pond of
regular size, shape, and depth. Optimal pond sites are located in small, stable, well-vegetated
drainage basins, preferably above the flood plain. Flooding causes serious problems in managing
fish ponds. Incorporating the topography of the land with the design of the pond dam will permit
natural drainage and avoid expensive drain systems or costly pumping equipment.

2.5.3 Water supply

An assured water supply of sufficient quantity and adequate quality is the most important
factor to be considered when deciding on the suitability of a fish pond site. Therefore, the
investigations for a proper water source should be most thoroughly conducted in site selection.
The statement of the Irrigation Division or other Water Authority for the required amount of
water to the ponds or the hatchery, and any restriction on water supply to the fish farm (for
example, periods of maintenance in an irrigation channel), must be acquired. The source of
water may be an irrigation canal, river, creek, reservoir, lake, spring, rainfall runoff and dug or
deep wells. Water can be supplied via feeder channel, storage tank or pipeline by gravity or by
pumping to the ponds. The most economical method is by gravity. For a pond built in suitable
soil, the minimum supply of water should be 5 l/sec/ ha of pond throughout the year. If rainfall
runoff is to be used, and stored in a reservoir to supply the ponds, a ratio of 10 to 15 ha of

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catchment area to 1 ha of pond is required if the catchment area is pasture; a slightly higher
ratio is needed for woodland, and less for land under cultivation (Hora, 1962).

2.5.4 Water quality

Quality of water is one of the most significant factors to be considered in site selection. It
should be investigated by taking a number of water samples from the proposed water source
for laboratory analyses of physical, chemical, biological and micro-biological properties,
including health hazards. Water test procedures should be in accordance with the relevant
Standard Classification in the country on water quality. From a production point of view,
emphasis should be placed on the following:

(i) physical properties - temperature, colour, odour, turbidity, transparency, suspended solids.

(ii) chemical properties - pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, free carbon
dioxide, alkalinity, salinity, dissolved solids, ammonia, all as regards both useful and toxic
qualifies; also whether pollutants of agricultural or industrial origin are present, and if so, to
what extent.

(iii) biological properties - quality and density of plankton.

(iv) micro-biological properties - species and quantity of parasites.

2.5.5 Climate

Important climatological factors to be obtained from the meteorological station nearest to the
site are as follows:

 mean monthly temperature

 mean monthly rainfall
 mean monthly evaporation
 mean monthly humidity
 mean monthly sunshine
 mean monthly wind speed and direction

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Obviously, the longer the period of record, the better the data will be.

Information on the pattern of precipitation (maximum in any 24 hours) and incidence of high
winds, heavy storms or cyclones, should be considered. The incidence and amount of damage
caused by storms or earthquakes in the project area should also be noted.

2.5.6 Soil characteristics

Field investigations to determine surface and sub-surface soil conditions at the site should be
made as early as possible. Often money can be saved if proper soil explorations are made
before the site is procured. They may reveal soil conditions undesirable for pond construction,
in which case another site may have to be found. Investigations should be carried out in order
to ascertain the suitability of soil both for construction and operation of ponds.

For engineering purposes, the techniques used for soil investigations vary from relatively simple
visual inspection to detailed sub-surface exploration and laboratory tests. Visual inspection of
the site is an essential preliminary step. In order to provide data on sub-surface soils, a test pit
measuring 0.80×1.50 m with a depth of 1.50 to 2.0 m, depending on the land form and the
elevation of the water table, should be dug in each hectare of the site. Digging of a test pit
permits visual examination of soil and also makes it possible to obtain disturbed and
undisturbed samples of soils encountered in the different layers below ground level.

Soils have characteristics that can easily be determined by sight and feel. Visual examinations
are employed in place of precise laboratory tests to define the basic soil properties. A sandy
clay to clayey loam is the best type of soil both for pond construction and growing natural foods
at the pond bottom. Areas with a layer of organic soil over 0.60 m in thickness are unsuitable
for any kind of fish pond, because it would be difficult to maintain water levels in the ponds due
to high seepage; also, it would be necessary to transport suitable soils for dike construction to
the site, and this will be costly. Big surface stones or rock outcrops may make an area
unsuitable for anything except lined ponds or concrete raceways.

2.5.6 Hydrological characteristics

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The most important data needed for site selection can be gathered from such sources as
Irrigation Departments or other Water Authorities.

The following are needed:

 data for discharge,

 yield
 floods and water elevations of existing water sources (rivers, irrigation channels,
reservoirs, springs, etc.).

2.5.7 Biological and operational factors

Before a site can be selected for a project, the following should be ascertained:

 species to be cultured
 resources and availability of stocking materials (spawners, fry or fingerlings)
 type of project

(i) small-scale rural project

(ii) large-scale rural project

2.5.8 system of culture adopted

(i) extensive: when food base in a pond exclusively naturally occurring without
supplementation( either by feeds or fertilizer), the culture system is an extensive one.

(ii) semi-intensive: in this system, there is occational supplementary feeds addition and natural
productivity is augmented with manures.

(iii) intensive: this demand a higher level of management input. Feeds and fertilizer are
intensively applied following appropriate recommendation rates.

2.5.9 Operational method:

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(i) monoculture: as the name implies, in the culture of a single species of an organism in a
culture system of any intensity, be it in any type of water, fresh and brackish water.

(ii) polyculture: As the name implies, is the culture of several species in the same waterbody.

(iii) integrated: this is the combination of fish farming and other livestock.

 production target
 estimated size of area required.

2.6 Fish Pond Site Survey.

Survey instruments for pond survey

Land surveying is a prerequisite for the construction of fish pond, after a good site has been
selected. For this purpose, the following survey instruments are used:-

 Optical square: it is a simple instrument made by two triangular prisms super impose
leaving a free space in between. The reciprocal positionof the prism is such that placing
the instruments on the straight line between two objects; thses will be reflected at the
same side of the prism and along the same vertical. Thus us used to square point.
 Measuring Tapes: are made up steel courted living or sensitive material they of 20,
30,50cm and decimeters and meter are usually indicate on the tape.
 Measure road: A measuring road is a straight lath with a length berried from 2m to 5m
the road is usually marked in the same way as a measuring tape indicating centimeters
decimeter and meter s.

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  Plum bob: A plum bob is used to cheek if object are vertical a plum bob consist of a
pieces of metal called a bob pointing down ward, which is attached to cord.
 Carpenter Level: A carpenter level is use to check if objects are horizontal or vertical
within a carpenter level. There are one or more glass tubes each tubes is still and partially
filled with a liquid which could be water oil or paraffin, The remaining space is air visible
as bubble on a glass tubes. There are 2 markers only when carpenter level is horizontal or
vertical is the air bubbles exactly between these 2 marks.
 Ranging Pole: Are used to mark areas and to set out straight marks on the files. They are
also used to mark point which can be seen on a distance in which flak may be attached to
improve usability, ranging poles are straight round stalks 3-4 cm stick and about 2m long.
They are made of wood or metals, ranging poles can also be made from storing straight
bam boo or tree branches it should be noted that ranging poles may never be cut, they are
usually painted with red, white and black. White bands if possible wooding ranging poles
are reinforce at the bottom by metals point.
 Pegs: pegs are used when setting point at field require most permanents marking pegs are
generally made of woods some time fixed of wood branches properly are good enough.
The height of a peg 40-60cm depends on the type of survey work they are used for. The
types of soil that are driving in the peg are dung into the soil and the top should be clearly
visible.
 Chain and Tape: A chain is made up connected steel segment or links which each
measure 20cm some time a special joint or a tally marker is attached every 5metre
Usually a chain has a total length of 20ms including one handle at each end ,chain are
used to measure distance.

2.7 Method of surveying fish pond sites:

 Visual survey.

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  Detailed survey.

Visual survey: As the name implies, this is the ordinary site inspection by moving round the
area. Then "site investigation report" may be produce under the heading: situation of site,
topography, source of water supply, soil type, vegetation, climate, etc.

Detailed survey: this comprises of land survey and soil; water exploration. For land survey: thee
are the "chains survey " which entails use of land chain or tape for measurement of dimension
and calculating perimeters and areas of' ponds, and the " Topography survey" which is carried
out with the survey's level, staff, ranging pole; and filed book for production of" contour maps"
which, are used. In pond design, acquisition processes planing abs coating of the fish farm.

2.8 TYPE OF FISH POND RESERVOIR IN AQUACULTURE.

Factors like convenience, purpose of fish rearing, and the scale of production go a long way in
determining the type of fish pond you will construct for your farm. While there are other types,
the ones I will talk about here are:-

 Wood pond/ box: this is one of the bww technologies in which a pond is made of qiis
and lined with polythene or leather that can hold water. This can be used to raise fish to
table size or in the hatchery. It is very cheap and the techniques is very easy to adopt.
 Plastic/ fiber tank: this technique was developed to having a durable aquaculture
reservoir. Dish can be raise frim hatchlings to table size in this type of facility. It can be
used either as out-door or in-door tanks. They are of different dimensions and shapes. It
is always advisable to use them where the intending farnwe doesn't have his/her own
portion of land.
 Homestead fish pond: Homestead vfish pond is more or less domesticated dmduah
farming. This is because it is practice by the side of your house. In other words, it could
be called farmily fish pond. It could be constructed with earth where the soil is good and
at the same time be made if concrete in case if manage and may also be called
subsistence fish farm.

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  Earthen pond: The most tediouse aspect is the excavation of the earth. The only
difference is that this is smallar in size. Manually the pond can be completed. Being a
small pond, it may or may not be drained. Water source could be from your house water
supply or collecting water from your roof and Direct it into the pond.
 Concrete pond: this could be made of block with a good plastering to ensure that there
is no leakage ( plate ) but bear in mins that this is not durable. Cast concrete pond is
preferable.
 Cast concrete pond: The material for cast concrete pond are as follows:
 Cement
 Iron rode
 Sand
 Chipping stones
 Binding wire
 plank.

Wooden mould: the wood is cut and prepared into mould by a carpenter. This mould should be
outer and inner. The outer mould is placed on the first blinding having the shape and height of
the intending tank. Inner mould is then placed, fixed, braced and supported with wood to
withstand pressure during concrete work. Cast concrete with B.R.C. in the middle' with
provision for drainage. Allow it set for at least seven days before romoving the mould.

2.9 FISH POND CONSTRUCTION

Pond construction is the science that involves the site of the surveying, site selection, land
clearing, excavation and building of an enclosure or open structured used purposely for the
culturing of aquatic resource. However, before embarked on construction certain indispensable
factor such as land, water source, soil type, topography, vegetation type etc. And this factor
could be considered in pond construction irrespective of either it was earthen pond or concrete
pond. And the pond must be sited on a suitable soil such as clay soil and properly constructed to
hold water and availability of quality and quantity of water that would support the aquatic
resource such as fish. Once that is done it is then imperatives in maintaining the pond facilities

19
which goes a long way in management of the pond The management of small pond of 1-2 acres
are preferable to larger pond because of drainage and harvesting are more easily done.

2.10 Procedure of fish pond construction

2.10.1 Site survey:

Appropriate site selection is one of the most important factors that determine the success of
the fish farm. Before construction of the pond, the water retention capacity of the soil and the
soil fertility has to be taken care of because these factors influence the response to the organic
and inorganic fertilization in the farm pond. The selected site should have adequate water
supply round the year for pond filling and other uses. The pond construction has to be based on
the topographic area. In swampy and marshy areas, bunds should have a greater accumulation
of soil to build the pond of a preferable size. Self-draining ponds are ideal for higher elevation
areas. The site should be easily accessible by road or any form of transport to reach the market
for easy fish disposal. In addition to this, the accessibility of inputs such as feed, seed, fertilizer
and the construction material should also be available nearby the site. The site should be free
from pollution, industrial waste, domestic waste and any other harmful activities

2.10.2 Topographical Survey

A topographical survey, also known as a land survey or topographical land survey also known as
contours. Topographical land survey measures and identifies the exact location and
specifications of natural and human made features within an area of land. The survey is then
drawn up into an appropriate and detailed plan it includes human-made features such as
boundaries, neighbouring buildings, walkways etc. The topographical survey also picks up
natural features such as trees, ponds and ground contours.

2.10.3 Benefits Topographical Survey

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  Having a detailed and accurate picture of your land can reduce the risk of costly
downstream mistakes caused by unforeseen issues.
 In the case of purchased land, a topographical survey can reveal any information that
might be hidden from plain sight, including the changes that have occurred on the area
over a period of
 It can provide the necessary data you will need about the land before making any
changes to it.
 It provide engineers and architects with the necessary information to create correct and
suitable designs for the property’s unique features.
 It provide final as-built data to verify that the site was built in substantial conformance
with proposed plans.

2.11 Design / Architectural Skech

The assurance of a regular and good source of water supply and a land that can retain
water for fish culture is the impetus the farmer needs in plamung how large the pond
should be and how many of a pa_rticular unit or units should be constructed. Having done
the survey of the land, it is easy to plan the layout of the ponds and chrumels on paper.
The main objective should be to make the best possible use of the land (topography) at
minimum construction cost. Experience has shown that each site has its own peculiarities
and problems and solutions have to be found to overcome them. The following are useful
hints in planning the ponds.

 The shape and size of the pond should fit in with the topography of the land. The
topography may warrant a pond to be circular, square or rectangular.
 The bottom ofthe pond should be sloping to the point close to the embankment
where drainage facilities (outlets) will be installed. The slope should be from about
1:2. The water inlet(s) to the pond should be placed preferably at the shallowest
end.
 If more than one pond is constructed it is better to have independent water supply
(inlets) to each pond and also separate outlets. By this it would be possible to drain

21
 the water from
each pond
without the
water having to
flow through a
second pond.
Such ponds are
called pru·allel
ponds. The
advantage of this construction is that, in case of parasites and diseases outbreak in
one pond, its water can be easily drained and the other ponds will not be affected.
 Smaller ponds are easier to manage than larger ones. For family owned ponds it
is advisable to limits the size of each pond to a maximum of0.2 ha if the water
supply is adequate and land is available.

2.12 POND LAYOUT

In designing the fish farm, it should bedecided as to where and how manynursery, rearing and
stocking ponds are to be constructed . ... A drainage system is used to empty the pond. It
consists of the outlet system for letting water out of the pond and the drainage ditches which
carry the water away from the pond.

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Key:

NP- nursery pond.

RP- rearing pond.

2.13 Clearing of the site

Vegetation of the site The type of vegetation on the pond site would determine the cost of
clearing the site for pond construction. Densely vegetated lands can be very expensive to
clear, taking into consideration the cost of felling and removing the trees and the root
stumps. Stumps left in the soil can decay later and cause pollution. Even if fish grow well in
such sites, there is the risk ofthe stumps tearing nets at harvesting. Therefore as much as
possible lat1ds that are thickly vegetated should be avoided or the sites should b

2.14 Construction of dyke

Dykes should be compact, solid and leak free. A desirable dyke is constructed using 15 - 30
percent of silt, 45 - 55 percent of sand and 30 - 35 percent of clay. A sufficient width of the
berm (not less than 1 m) is required to stabilize slope. The embankment slope in horizontal to
vertical should be 2:1 in good quality clay soil and 3:1 for loamy silt or sandy soils. To raise the
dyke, the clay buddle (1:2 sand and clay) is deposited as 10 - 15 cm thick layer and it can be
formed at centre or inside the waterside of the pond. The crest of the dyke should be sufficient
to help allied farm activities and the top of embankment should be above 1 m. Extra outlet is

23
essential on the embankment as a safety measure to avoid damage due to excess raise in the
water level.

2.15 Inlet and outlet construction

Feeder canals are constructed to provide sufficient amount of quality water to the ponds
except in ponds which are filled by rainwater. Inlets are provided at top of the pond and
screens are used to filter the pumped water to avoid entry of unwanted particles to the culture
system. The inlet pipe size has to be designed is such a way that it should not take more than 1
or 2 days to fill the pond.

The outlet pipe is set up at bottom of the pond. It is used to dewater the pond during harvest
and partial draining for pond water exchange to maintain the water quality of the pond during
the culture period. The outlet is constructed prior to pond dyke construction.

Excavating the pond This can be done manually or machine earth moved from the pond
serves for construction of the dikes. The main parts of the pond to be constructed during
excavation are the pond walls/ embankment, the pond water inlet structure and outlet
structure 13

2.16 Excavations Of Pond Bottom

Excavating the pond This can be done manually or machine earth moved from the
pond serves for construction of the dikes. The main parts of the pond to be constructed
during excavation are the pond walls/ embankment, the pond water inlet structure and
outlet structure.

2.16.1 Types of pond bottom excavations.

 Topsoil excavation: This involves the removal of the exposed layer of the earth’s surface,
including any vegetation or decaying matter which could make the soil compressible and
therefore unsuitable for bearing structural loads.

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  Earth excavation: This involves the removal of the layer of soil directly beneath the
topsoil. The removed material (referred to as 'spoil') is often stockpiled and used to
construct embankments and earthen pond foundations.

2.16.2 IMPORTANCE OR REASON FOR EXCAVATION

 applications including exploration, environmental restoration, mining and construction.

 excavation is used in construction to create earthen pond foundations, and reservoirs.

2.17 Dike building and compacting

This is one of the methods of checking or tackling pond seepage, the weeds in the ponds
will be cleared after the pond water is released. Polythene will be used to cover the whole pond
bottom. Polythene should be such that will not be easily punch and all plant materials on the
pond bottom should be removed to prevent them from piercing the polythene.

Clay soil should be used to cover the whole pond and compacted to prevent water
seepage. Must so without the polythene available, banana or plantain fronds should be used to
cover completely the pond bottom. Then clay soil will be used to cover the plantain or banana
leaves compacted; in this water pond seepage will be tackled.

Characteristics of pond dikes

1. Any pond dike should have three basic qualities.

 (a) It should be able to resist the water pressure resulting from the pond water depth.
 (b) It should be impervious, the water seepage through the dike being kept to a
minimum.
 (c) It should be high enough to keep the pond water from ever running over its top,
which would rapidly destroy the dike. Some points to remember about dikes for good
pond dike construction Resisting water pressure

2. Water pressure can be readily resisted by:

 anchoring your dike strongly to its foundations (the soil on which you build it);
 constructing your dike large enough to resist the water pressure by virtue of its weight.

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Note: an intermediate dike separating two ponds may not need to be as strong as a perimeter
dike, so long as the water pressure is more or less the same on both sides. If one pond needs to
be drained while the adjacent one remains filled however, water pressures will be similar to
those in perimeter dikes, and the dike should be stronger. Equal water pressure Unequal water
pressure Ensuring impermeability

3. Impermeability of the dike can be ensured by:

 using good soil that contains enough clay building a central clayey core when using
pervious soil material;
 building a cut-off trench when the foundation is permeable;
 applying good construction practices.
 ensuring that the thickness of your dike is appropriate.

2.18 IMPORTANCE OR PURPOSE FOR COMPACTION

 It reduces excessive seepage in the pond.

 Compaction is a process of increasing soil density and removing air, usually by
mechanical means.
 It will reduce the permeability of the soil and increase the strength of the embankments.
 The size of the individual soil particles does not change; neither is water removed.
 Purposeful compaction is intended to improve the strength and stiffness of soil.

Factors to consider before compaction

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  A number of factors will affect the degree of compaction that can be achieved:
 Nature and type of soil, i.e. sand or clay, grading, plasticity Water content at the time of
compaction
 Site conditions, e.g. weather, type of site, layer thickness
 Compactive effort: type of plant (weight, vibration, number of passes

2.19 Grassing Of The Dyke

To reduce the soil erosion, creeping grass can be grown on the top and sides of dyke. The
banana and coconut trees can be planted in the embankment. The slope of the embankment
can be planted with grasses such as Hybrid Napier, gunny grass and elephant grass to supply
feed to the grass carps reared in the ponds

The crest ofthe pond and the pond surroundings should not be left bare, as this will
encourage erosion during rainfall. Grasses like vetivar, carpet grass and bahama grass can
be planted around dam wall to prevent erosian. These will also help the dam to
maintain structural tigidity. A pond surrounding that is well-grassed will also have an
added advantage ofbeautifying the environment.

2.20 Facilities in a fish pond

2.20.1 Pond wall:

Embankment/Pond Wall Building , To impound and retain water in a pond, in most cases,
it is necessary to construct embankments. Embankments (also known as dikes) are
reinforced walls built above the ground level. The embankments should be strong enough
to withstand water pressure and should be leak proof. The height of the embankment

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should be at least 60cm above the highest water level that will be reached within the
pond. The dimensions for the embankment i.e. the width ofthe crest and base, height and
slopes would depend on depth of water to be retained in the pond and type of soil to
be used, for the construction ofthe embankment.

2.20.2 Drainage structure

Pond Inlet Structure The inlet structure is built to supply water into the pond. Where the
source of water is by diversion from a stream/ river, it is best to construct the junction of
the diversion channels with concrete to prevent the water from eroding the channel way
into the pond (Fig. 5). To prevent predators and other unwanted fish species from
getting to the popd a screen can be used ,ilt the channel junction._ For small ponds
diverted from slow flowing water bodies plastic pipes can be used as diversion channels.
Generally the inlet structure should be raised above desired level of water so that water
falling into the pond can help in aeration.

2.20.3 Pond Outlet Structure

Fish ponds have to be emptied either partially or fully, especially during harvesting time.
When there is excess water in the pond it has to be drained to required level to prevent
pond wall from being weakened and collapsing. A good drainage system is enhanced
when ponds are built on a good slope. The system must be built before the walls because
most of them go through the base of the main pond wall. drainage structure should ]Je
screened with fine wire mesh to prevent escape offish.

2.20.4 Dike:

Dikes are the most important part of a fish pond, as they keep the necessary volume of water
impounded and form the actual pond; their design and construction is particularly important.
You will learn more about pond dikes and earthwork calculations in the next three sections,
before learning how to stake out and construct the four main types of pond.

2.21 Features Of A Pond.

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Clay core: In construction, a clay core refers to the impermeable layer of clay in a dam, lake, or
other structure. This layer is designed to keep water from passing through, and a semi-
permeable shell often covers it.

Drainage system facilities: Drainage Facilities means any man-made construction undertaken
for drainage purposes and shall include conduits, ditches, canals, dikes, em bankments, dams,
reservoirs, and other appropriate facilities.

2.21.1 Water:

Fish farming is only one aspect of aquaculture. Aquaculture water use is water associated with
raising creatures that live in water—such as finfish and shellfish —for food, restoration,
conservation, or sport. In many rivers, lakes, and reservoirs around the country, recreational
fishermen enjoy catching fish that have been raised in fish ponds and released to natural
waters. Aquaculture production occurs under controlled feeding, sanitation, and harvesting
procedures primarily in ponds, flowthrough raceways, and, to a lesser extent, cages, net pens,
and closed-recirculation tanks.

2.21.2 Dyke( levee)

refer to an embankment , floodbank , or stop bank is a structure that is usually earthen and
that often runs parallel to the course of a river in its floodplain or along low- lying coastlines.
The purpose of a levee is to keep the course of rivers from changing and to protect against
flooding of the area adjoining the river or coast. Levees can be naturally occurring ridge
structures that form next to the bank of a river, or be an artificially constructed fill or wall that
regulates water levels. Ancient civilizations in the Indus Valley, ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and
China all built levees. Today, levees can be found around the world, and failures of levees due
to erosion or other causes can be major disasters.

2.21.3 Pond wall:

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This is the plastering of pond wall which prevent the seepage of water through the bricks and
also add beauty to the pond. Pond wall are constructed using cement, sand, water, mixed
together to produce the material used in the plastering.

2.22 Facilities found in a fish farm.

Laboratory: A room or building equipped for scientific experiments, research, or teaching, or

for the manufacture of drugs or chemicals.

Store: The storage room is a place (for example, like a room, closet, in-door or out-door
container where temporarily the businesses partners or individuals can store their belongings.
The leasers/renters are offered storages of a different size and specifications (for example,
heated or unheated).

 Water supply: the water source could be from a borehole or deep well. The water
supply should meet the phyiochemical parameters.
 Farm tools found in the fish farm. And there uses
 Rake:Rakes can be used at home for various clearing and gardening tasks. They can also
be used in industries such as agriculture and landscaping.
 Hoe:A hoe is a simple agricultural tool that is mainly used to shape soil, digging, clear
weeds, and harvest root crops.
 Shovel:Shovel is a tool used to dig as well as to move loose, granular materials (like dirt,
gravel, grain, or snow) from one spot to another.
 Spade: is a tool used for digging straight-edged holes or trenches, slicing and lifting sod,
and edging flower beds or lawns.

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3.0 Chapter three

3.1 Practical aspect

AIM: To know the features of a Pond Dike, sluice gate, monks and slope.

Supervision: supervised by Dr yaji.

3.2 Monk:

Monk consists of a vertical tower shaped like 'U' and it opens towards the pond. A pipe
goes through the pond wall fom1 the back of the monk to the outside. The two side
walls ofthe monk have tJu·ee parallel grooves, which are continuous with that on the
concrete floor. The grooves are where the wooden boards can be slotted to stop water
from seeping. The monk is much like a sluice gate, but it is not built into the pond wall.
Monk should be constructed at least O.Smeters away fom1 the foot of the wall in the
deepest part of the pond and at least 40cm above the water level, but not more, as this
will make the removal ofboards difficult. The drainage pipes should be at least 0.3 meter
below the pond and slopes at 450 for good draining.

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Note: The monk functions only as an outlet structure.

Plate1 showing a monk.

3.3 SLUICE GATE

A sluice gate: can be used either as a screen gate in a water cannel going in the pond or a
drainage gate leading water out of the pond. In a pond a drainage sluice gate is an anchor in to
the main wall by extending the size of the sluice into the wall so that a sluice structure stands
upright. The sluice is constructed at the center of the dam wall before the dam is build. The
sluice can be made up of wood, cement, or bricks. It can have one or two wooding gate which
are remove to filled or empty the pond, it can also have a screen gate to keep unwanted fish from
entering the pond and pond fish from living the pond. In a sluice having two wooden gates the
space between the gates can be park highly with earth or other material. This will help to silt the
water into the pond.

3.4 Dykes (also known as

Embankments )

Dyke's are reinforced walls

built above the ground level. The
embankments should be strong
enough to withstand water
pressure and should be leak
proof. The height of the embankment should be at least 60cm above the highest water

32
level that will be reached within the pond. The dimensions for the embankment i.e. the
width ofthe crest and base, height and slopes would depend on depth of water to be
retained in the pond and type of soil to be used, for the construction ofthe
embankment. For 1m to 1.5m depth of water the crest should have a minimum width of 1
m.

Plate 2: showing a pond Dyke.

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 SUMMARY, PRECAUTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, CONCLUSION.

4.1 SUMMARY

Fish ponds
are not just a hole in the
ground
containing water. They are
unnatural water
environment that farmers
must be manage in order
produce
profitable fish harvest.
Pond should provide
a good environment for fish to live in, all requirement for fish to live in a healthy life, grow well.

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The pond water must be free from diseases, toxic chemicals and other fish enemies; and pond
fish should get sufficient fresh air and food. Physical characteristic of fish pond affect water
quality and influence their production potential for the farmers. They have to be sited in location
where they can be managed well to achieve the highest production potential.

4.2 PRECAUTION

The most common problem of the rainy season for most of the ponds is that flood can carry
away fishes of the pond. So, if the pond is located in an area which is closer to the river or
stream, then taller embankment or dike is a must. It should be at least 2 to 3 ft higher than the
highest level of water in the pond. This can be done very easily and automatically during the
time of digging or demudding. Sand removed during de-mudding/digging can be used to make
dikes taller. Otherwise, sandbags can be used to make the dikes, embankments taller.

4.3 RECOMMENDATION.

The department should made available of some simple surveying instrument.

The department should allow student to go out for their SIWES training in outsode the school in
order to have more experience than in school.

Lastly I recommende that the students should be given a room atlest to construct an earthen
pond, so as to have the practical knowledge of it.

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.

4.4 CONCLUSION.

Pond construction practices such a pond management, if properly maintain, production will
be maximum and Agriculture will be great.

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References

Lecture note by Dr yaji on pond drainage system and dike building.

Lecture note by Dr K.G Michael on pond construction, fish farm design, survey.

Experienced gained and accumulated during the practical by Judith Innocent.

Aquaculture and fisheries text book by prof sogbesan.

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