The Preserve in Eagle , Idaho

Fishing in our ponds requires a person in your group to have your household Lanyard displayed. This is obtained from the management company. One per household. All ponds are catch and quickly release (except for invasive species like, perch). No one is allowed to put plants in the ponds, except our community contracted landscape company. They upset the balance of pond life management. Same is true for fountains as many birds will no longer return. For example, it’s rare for swans and herons to hunt and hang out in a pond with a fountain. Unlike water falls, fountains are unnatural and we could lose our wild life status and no longer receive the level of help we need from Idaho Fish and Game.

Our ponds and waterfalls require much observational awareness. The ponds bring wildlife. All of our ponds contain fish that breed. Many birds and other animals come for the fish, insects and other creatures that live in and around them. Activities around the ponds need to be limited to those that do not upset wildlife. Activities like;  walking your dog off leash are prohibited, fishing in our ponds requires you to “catch and release”, Allowing kids to toss rocks in the water is prohibited (kids often pick up the rock on the edge of the water, those rocks were placed there to prevent pond wall erosion. Allowing a child to toss those rocks in the pond is a careless disrespectful act that costs everyone higher HOA fees to meet the need to repair pond sides).

POND NAMES

LANDSCAPING WATER 
There are over 400 homes that get lawn irrigation water from the Mallard pond. The water used for the common areas is also sole sourced from that pond. The Mallard pond is our only landscaping water source. All the landscape water for Mallard pond comes from one source, a canal called Foothill Ditch, from the Boise River. This travels through many neighborhoods and farm fields (see map below). If that sounds like our neighborhood lawns can become a dried brown grass eyesore, you would be correct. All we need is a dry winter or new neighborhoods to begin drawing more from the canal and Mallard pond will be ruined. Many neighborhoods do not have free landscape water included with their HOA fee. The water isn’t exactly free. Thanks to our board, HOA fees have remained low compared to others that pay 3x or 4x what we pay. If we all had to move to city water, like most neighborhoods our costs would dramatically raise.

Imagine how much more water will be used by new subdivisions as growth continues. A construction failure along this path will create brown lawns. We once had rocks poured in the water pathway on Linder road. Mallard ( Irrigation ) pond dropped real low from a tiny flow. I had to shovel out the path to increase flow. Today, the flow is reduced/obstructed as there is growth of vegetation and a build up of sediment in the path that has not been maintained in years. We have Linder construction beginning, what can happen with our only HOA water source? : Ponds & Landscape Information

WHEN TO WATER
We ask that everyone water by house number during the 5 days a week. Even and Odd number days based on your house number. This way, irrigation shouldn’t reduce the water to a level that makes fishing less fun and prevents wildlife from looking to live elsewhere.

Click here to go to a page with lawn tips for our climate and 2500 foot elevation.