Agreed.. Great suggestion and thanks! I have a little dirt work to do (drag harrow to smooth the levee and property so it doesn't beat me to death mowing) before planting grass, but it is definitely going to be one of the very next steps..

For clarification there is no official "dam".. The topography around here is as flat as a pancake.. The pond is dug out and the levee is built up ~2ft from grade primarily to retain fish when the flood water rises..