On 6-13-24 Mr. Graves Lovell, Fisheries Biologist with the Alabama Wildlife & Freshwater met with Alicia Allen, Judy Thrift, Carol McMichen and Wes Williamson, Cotton Lakes board members. We visited five (5) ponds in the community. He reports the following:
 
ALL PONDS
Mr. Lovell stated that all the ponds are well balanced with a few issues to correct. If you want more and bigger fish, you would have to apply agricultural lime this winter, about 4 tons per acre. Then fertilize next March-October when visibility exceeds 28 inches. However, this is very expensive and only increases the size and number of fish. It is optional if you want to harvest the Bluegill. Otherwise it is not necessary to recheck the ponds. All fish are safe to eat.

Common Pond #1 and Common Pond #2
These two (2) ponds face Chapel Road. The population is crowded with small bass. To increase the bass size you need to harvest all bass that are under twelve (12) inches and return bigger bass to water. Stock ten (10) grass carp per acre. All homeowners are allowed to fish these two (2) community ponds.

Middle Pond #3
This pond faces Chapel Road. The population looks good for growing big bass. Only remove a few bass to eat. No need to remove for population purposes. Spray the alligator weed with Glyphosate in the summer as needed. This pond is on private property. You must get permission from a homeowner living on this pond to fish.

West Pond #4
This pond faces Chapel Road. The population is in balance. No need to harvest fish unless you want. Stock five (5) grass carp per acre. This pond is on private property. You must get permission from a homeowner living on this pond to fish.
 
Pond #5 - King Cotton/Cotton Meadows/Cotton Lakes Blvd Pond #6-Spinning Wheel
The population looks good. You may want to harvest a few fish. Stock ten (10) grass carp per acre. **This pond seems to have a blocked overflow pipe. The pond has encroached on two (2) properties at the end of the pond backing up on Christy Court. This is a loss of property and really needs to be addressed. There are several trees that were planted on land but now are in the water possibly causing more blocking of the drainage pipe. This pond is on private property. You must get permission from a homeowner living on this pond to fish.

Fountains
The fountains in the ponds facing Chapel Road are for beautification only. They serve no purpose for the health of the ponds.

The blue color applied to front ponds is a dye. It will not affect the fish. However, there is a cost for the treatment and is done by a pond company.