# What are those big chain baskets in park ponds for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427 "2013-04-22T19:52:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/1 "2013-04-22T19:52:55Z")
I tried really hard to Google up a picture but was unsuccessful. But in the park near my work, there is a pond/lake with ducks and small fish in it. There are also a couple of large metal baskets sticking up out of the water near the middle of the pond. They resemble Frisbee golf baskets (like [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=frisbee+golf+baskets&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=qpR1UYr2N4yy8QSwpIGgDg&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1318&bih=941) but more bowl shaped). They always are empty when I have seen them. My question is, what is their purpose? Somewhere for large water fowl to build nests? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/2 "2013-04-22T20:10:03Z")
Is the pond lined with concrete? If so, such baskets might be used to anchor or suspend large water plants like irises or lilies. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/3 "2013-04-22T20:25:52Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/4 "2013-04-22T20:40:38Z")
Are they for encouraging [duck](http://www.deltawaterfowl.org/henhouses/stories/ORNests.php) [nesting](http://www.fws.gov/arrowwood/ChaseLake_PP/nesting_structures.html)? ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/5 "2013-04-22T21:06:04Z")
Something like [this](http://rpitt.eng.ua.edu/Class/Erosioncontrol/Module6/Module6_files/image002.gif) (upper right) or [this](http://www.conteches.com/Products/Stormwater-Management/Treatment/StormRax.aspx)? If so, that’s a grating to prevent large debris from washing into the pond’s outlet structure. ETA: ok, so they’re probably something different. Maybe something used to break up the water surface for aeration or algae reduction? ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/6 "2013-04-23T00:24:34Z")
Are there fountains in the pond that are just turned off? ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/7 "2013-04-23T02:31:28Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Is the pond lined with concrete? If so, such baskets might be used to anchor or suspend large water plants like irises or lilies. When I was a child, ponds lined with concrete were typically called “pools”. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/8 "2013-04-23T14:21:24Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Are they for encouraging [duck](http://www.deltawaterfowl.org/henhouses/stories/ORNests.php) [nesting](http://www.fws.gov/arrowwood/ChaseLake_PP/nesting_structures.html)? This was my original thought, and your second link, top picture most closely matches what is out there. But I never see any evidence of nests in the baskets. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/9 "2013-04-23T14:23:06Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > Something like [this](http://rpitt.eng.ua.edu/Class/Erosioncontrol/Module6/Module6_files/image002.gif) (upper right) or [this](http://www.conteches.com/Products/Stormwater-Management/Treatment/StormRax.aspx)? If so, that’s a grating to prevent large debris from washing into the pond’s outlet structure. > > ETA: ok, so they’re probably something different. Maybe something used to break up the water surface for aeration or algae reduction? Definitely not a grate. You have water surface, about a foot or two of pool, and then a basket made of chain on top of that. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-those-big-chain-baskets-in-park-ponds-for/656427/10 "2013-04-23T14:24:29Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Is the pond lined with concrete? If so, such baskets might be used to anchor or suspend large water plants like irises or lilies. It is a cement pond, but in the 3 years of hanging at this park, I have not seen one plant in the baskets.