Hey everybody, proud newb of the forum and starting my first pond project, but wanted some help on a couple of questions.
I live in Walker County in northwest GA. I have 42 acres that flows to a 2 acre low area. The property is mostly cleared but recieves drainage from probably 100 acres. I plan on putting in a levee at the bottom end by under cutting the top couple of feet of soil to get to a good base then building up from there.
I called NRCS and was told that NW GA doesnt have the best soil for ponds, but there was clay between 2 to 4 feet down according to web soil survey. Survey states soil is not good for pond retention and clay is gravelly loam clay. I can tell you just by looking at the surface there is a lot of chirt. I havent seen any real big rocks, but I have puddles in some low areas on the property that hold water all year long though. I have a D6 coming in a month to start work, just wanted to know if you guys think I can make this work. Also would a D6 be heavy enough to compact the pond or will I need to get a sheeps foot as well. Equipment is expensive so if I can do it with the dozer that would be great.

Thanks much and any added suggestions would be well received.

You are not too far from me. I am not an expert but I know if you want it done RIGHT you use a sheeps foot. IMO it is worth more $$ now for less problems later.

Josh welcome to the sink hole

Wow a D6 coming in a month. That is exciting but a few things to consider:

1.) Did you dig any test holes to determine the capability of the soil to hold water? Tons of reading on this topic in the Pond Construction Section
2.) Do you have a permit to build the pond, now days with Google and such the governments do have much more visibility on what you do on your own property.
3.) The NRCS is a very good source for information and knowledge and they have already stated that you may have issues, how are you going to mitigate these issues? Do you have budget to clay line a bottom?
4.) No a Dozer is not a compactor and would not be recommended

I would do some more reading on the site and asking questions but you may want to reach out to a pond builder to get some pricing and opinions before starting to sink money in a hole. Once you start the budget never goes down it only goes up. How bad it goes up is directly proportional to your planning and knowledge up front.

Swiss, thanks for the reply. Yea I probably should have included more info in the original post. I contacted zoning and planning and they have stated I do not need a permit for a pond under an acre which is the plan. NRCS has stated the same and there would not need to be a site visit conducted unless I requested one. I did request them to come out, but they kinda blew me off and gave an excuse about being behind on their USDA stuff. Told me it would be after June before they would come out.
I have a couple of test holes which are holding water, but I suspect irregular soil in the area. Some extra might be warranted. From reading it looks like I need to also do a bucket test. As for the Sheeps foot. I will have one delivered now due to the responses I have received. I am hoping to avoid lining with clay since there is a clay content a couple of feet below grade.

What are the planned dimensions of the dam?
Surface Area of the pond?
Are you going to use a through pipe with Riser or Siphon system for overflow?
What about emergency spillway?

Planned dimensions are roughly 145x300. Surface area roughly 43000 sq ft. Right under an acre. Levee will be 36' at base, 12' at apex, height will be 12' roughly. That's what NRCS advised.

Overflow will be handled by a 12" through pipe with collars and riser with a spillway between 18"-24" above riser.

In terms which I have seen on other posts here, this would be classified as a hollow pond or as we say it "holler". Ill be digging my test holes tomorrow. I plan on digging 4 and doing a bucket test while Im there. I might also do a jar test to see what my clay percentage is as well.

And thoughts on cutting a core? On here half agree and half do not. Its almost like the Baptist and Pentecostal side of the family getting together for dinner. Everyone is right lol. I would think since I have some rock in the soil it wouldn't be a bad idea, but can it be as wide as the dozer blade, instead of digging it with a track hoe

IMHO you need to cut a core, if you make it as wide as a dozer blade then you can run the sheepsfoot easily in the core as you build back up. Think of the core as insurance, you hate to buy it but when you need it you slap yourself on the back and say that was a no brainer.

Go down until you hit good clay and then start building back up compacting in 6-12" lifts.

Get some pictures of the area.

Swiss, thanks for the info.
Ill be out there tomorrow morning getting some samples. The land is raw. We bought it to build so while we have the equipment out to do the building pads we wanted to also go ahead and get stated on the pond as well. What part of NE Georgia are you in?

Here are some pics of the site from the base and then from the top looking toward the levee end. Its hard to tell due to the folage, but its step one.

[img:left]https://bay180.mail.live.com/default.aspx?rru=inbox#tid=cmbJYUn-bx5BGSZAAiZMJIzg2&fid=flinbox[/img]

https://bay180.mail.live.com/default.aspx?rru=inbox#tid=cmbJYUn-bx5BGSZAAiZMJIzg2&fid=flinbox

https://bay180.mail.live.com/default.aspx?rru=inbox#tid=cmbJYUn-bx5BGSZAAiZMJIzg2&fid=flinbox

So dug some test holes, 2 in the base and 1 at each bank. I have a yellowish brown clay at 8 inches down. It continued to 3.5 ft or as far as I could dig with a post hole digger. I completed a buket test with 6 inches of material compacted to 3. Drilled 5, 1/4 inch holes in the bottom of the bucket. Filled with water and 15 hours later the water might have dropped 1/4 inch tops. I will post pics of the clay material as soon as I make a photobucket account.

[img:left]http:///www.facebook.com/josh.bennett.3150/posts/776673628415[/img]