What is the right way to do this?
I've got a 20 foot wide, limestone bottom creek that flows 2-4 inches deep year around...except for about an hour after a bad storm when it's 6 feet deep and sweeps trees down the stream. i don't know how deep the limestone goes, so I'm hesitant to drill into it. I would love to have a small 2-4 ft deep pool that might hold some fish occasionally and be a good place to wade into and cool off. Is there a "right" way to do this to minimize silting?

Make a plunge pool by anchoring a large log on the bottom and into the banks on each side, and make it a little lower in the center. It will be self cleaning. The pool will form downstream from the log.

There is a great document posted by RAH on the linked thread that should get you started...

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.ph...true#Post463216

Cool idea John. Will it work in a stream with a hard limestone bottom?

If the bottom is solid stone, I think you will not live to see water dig a hole in it.

This pdf might provide some ideas for you
http://www.water.rutgers.edu/Educational...Enhancement.pdf

That was my thought as well but thought I might be missing something.

I really like the idea under the right conditions. I have seen nature construct plunge ponds with downed trees in soft stream bottoms and make some dandy little fishing holes!

Every little stream in this area usually has a plunge pool on the downstream side of a highway crossing. Those bridges are usually concrete box culverts, single or double, in this area. Those pools are a haven for fish in times of low flow.