Head decides the stage count
Whether pond aeration needs a single- or double-stage turbine comes down to head — the diffuser submergence plus the system resistance. Shallow ponds at standard diffuser depth suit a single-stage machine; deeper ponds or higher back-pressure need the extra pressure of a double-stage turbine to push air to the diffusers at all. Sizing from the actual submergence and resistance, rather than a rule of thumb, is what keeps the blower delivering its rated air at the pond floor where the oxygen transfer happens.