Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site Hello and a quick question

New to the board. Hello!

I have always wanted to have my own pond/lake that I could grow some monster bass in. Never thought it would be affordable but if I can do it on the cheap I just my get my dream. Looked into dozer rental and how long it would take to dig and I was pleasantly surprised that I might be able to afford this next year.

My questions for now are:
1. How much does it cost to get a consultant to just look at a site and tell you if your idea will "hold water"?

2. The site I have available is between two creeks. One small one large in Jefferson Co. Mississipp above Natchez. One of the creeks on the border of my land has a cliff and drops down about 30 feet to the creek bottom. The other creek which would be on the other side of the pond is much smaller and you have to go down about 8-10 feet to get to the creek bed.

Soil is loessal soil which is highly erodible. Alder Silt Loam - 12-27% clay.

What I am wondering is although there or other excavater ponds in the general area that have water I am worried that the water table might be lower where my site would be since the pond is so close to the creeks. Obviously the table with is suppose to be 73 centimeters or less dips near the creeks. How far away from the creeks will dip extend?

Trying to keep it short and I can give more details

I can post pics and stuff if you want.

Check with your county soil and water dept. Probably no charge for a site visit.

I rented two dozers and 1 excavator several years ago and built my own. Only saved about 20% but got what I wanted. I hired and experienced operator and borrowed some labor from friends and family. It took 3 weekends for the excavation. Fuel was fairly cheap then. I've been in the construction business most of my life though. I was quoted $10K to $30K from contractors.

For my fully excavated 1/2 acre in 2002. I estimated $5000 for equipment, 1300 labor, 600 fuel, 700 for odds and ends (grass seed, tile, mulch, etc) totaling roughly $8000. It was pretty close. Probably spent half the cost of construction the years since on improvements such as aeration, limestone border, dock, fish.

Howdy and welcome! (Funny, you don't look like Charlton Heston...)

Have you got a copy of Perfect Pond...Want One? Indispensable for Pondmeister wannabes, whether hiring or DIYing.

If you are thinking of renting equipment, find some backhoe jobs that need doing on the property and rent one for a weekend. Dig a bunch of testholes for soil checks at the same time and call them free.

Ryan (or anyone) how long would it take to excavate a 1 acre pond with a dozer? No trees just field?

I am going to talk with someone from NRCS before I do anything substantial. Was thinking I might be able to create a hole with a tractor and a box blade to see what happens. But multipe holes using that method isn't an option... one might not even work.

What exactly do the NRCS people do for you?

At their best, they will: go over topographic, soil type, and other NRCS maps with you, finding the best place(s) for you to have a pond(s) wrt drainage area, holding water, and minimal permit requirements; visit your property and eyeball it in person wrt pond placement/sizes; calculate what size overflow pipe you will need to have based on watershed size and type; hold workshops in the field on pond construction and other pond related topics such as dry hydrants; show up during excavation to make sure things are going well (ALL of the above services were provided by our local NRCS office); and provide a list of local excavators. If asked nicely under the table, they may state which excavator(s) on the list they would pick themselves for pond construction.

OTOH, some offices are not conducive to providing much if any help. Staffing levels and expertise vary a lot from NRCS office to office (we are blessed with two guys who understand ponds, one of which LOVES doing pond work, both of which are on friendly terms with us). Most or all of the services are free, so check and find out how much help your local office can/will provide.

Welcome abord omegaman66.
You are at the right place.
Theo has you going in the right diretion. Get Bob's book Perfect Pond- then the NRCS.

My local NRCS guy drives a truck with a core sampler attached to drill test holes and check for the depth/quality of clay in the area.

It could take a 12 hrs. to 3000 hrs. An 850 HP dozer moves quite a bit more material than a 75 HP one. Operator skill, site condition, how far the dirt needs moved and how much all significantly effect production. Plus, you never know what you'll run into once you start digging.

Once you get some consultation, you'll have a better idea of how much dirt needs moved and how far. Far more information and design is needed before equipment can be selected.

It can be as simple a just digging a hole but all you may end up with is a money pit.

I can't believe the varience of the NRCS offices from area to area. Here, in this county, I don't think they even know what a core sampler is! I had to go to a neighboring county's NRCS office to get printed information on building a pond (mine had nothing) and they said "When you are done with the booklet, could you bring it back? That is the only copy that we have."

I am contemplating this route of action as I must do the pond cheap or it wont get done at all.

Step 1: Just dig a small pond and see what happens. If it works then dig another pond and connect at a later date if both hold water.

Step 2: (assuming step one doesn't hold enough water) the small Creek drains 700-900 acres. Dig the second pond and use the extra dirt to fill in the creek. Install a long big culvert as a flood spillway. Creek has about 9 to 10 foot banks and the fill and pipe would raise the level about 7 feet higher than it is now, so still within the banks of the creek bed. Pipe would let out into the creek way down stream of the beginning of the dam (outlet from the small pond).

This will fill the pond. The main pond will be connected to the small pond but have a good ridge under water so that the pond big pond will not drain completely if erosion compromised the first small pond with the flood spillway pipe.

If the pipe isn't big enough the big pond will over flow on the far side through woods and spread out sheet fashion which should not be too big of a problem. If that happens I will simply spring for more culvert to handle more water.

All of this is contengent on it being legal to damn/fill.reroute the little creek and an host of other things that could put a stop to it.

Sound like a good plan.

When you start messing around with a small creek draining that much acreage, you had better really calculate how much pipe you might need for overflow. Mama Nature can do some pretty evil things to man made structures. The first dirt pile and pipe could wind up downstream. I've tried it several times on my seasonal creek with some pretty poor results. OK, make that disastrous results.

I hear you on that. At first I wouldn't have even considered messing with the creek but if the pond doesn't hold water I might be forced to either damn it up or not make the pond.

The good thing is there is a good clay bottom in one spot where I can make the dam. The other good thing is that I won't be damming it up with an 18 foot dam so the head isn't going to be as high as some which should help with leaks.

As for as the storms water, that might be a problem but I don't think it will be a problem with the dam. The water will rise in the creek and back fill the excavation. If I have underestimated the amount of pipe the extra water will go out the back of the pond and flow into woods and then into Coles Creek (a bigger creek). Erosion could occur from this where it empties into Coles Creek. But that is well away from the pond and although it is a problem it wont mess with the integrity of the pond.