As some of you here know, next week I will be hiring someone to build my 1 1/2 acre pond. Therefore, I am looking for any last advice. So here is one last question.

Concerning your pond construction, and from what you have learned over the years, if you had a chance to do it all over again, what would you have changed?

I would have given as much attention to the outlet tube as I did the scraping and sealing. I was as ignorant as you can get, and if there's a big rain I'm gonna pay dearly.

If I didn't have a drain in the bottom, I'd make sure I had the rest of the pond like I wanted before the dam was completed.

Make sure it is cored.

Test the dirt before you spend the $.

I would forget about fancy drainage systems and only have a earthen spillway + a drain pipe.

Gator

I would have insisted that my contractor used a sheeps foot roller to ensure the soil was compacted correctly.

I would have done a better job on understanding my soil conditions.

I would have made the pond larger than I thought I wanted it. Each and every year since I have manually expanded it.

I would have had some bottom structure built in while excavating.

My small 3/4 acre pond is only 5 to 8 feet deep when full. I should have made it deeper. With the drought over the last two years, it's droped over 4 feet!!!!

I put an island in it and now I think that was a mistake. It looks overgrown and doesn't add anything. I wouldn't do that again.

Eddie

Bigger. Bigger. Bigger. Deeper. Deeper. Deeper. Oh yeah, and before the final grade was cut and smoothed out I would have made a nice little concrete pad with an outlet and a hose bib.
Toby

If I'd known how long it would take to fill the dang pond, I'd have left out the island...time will tell if it actually adds to the overall picture.

My "digger" convinced me to make the swimming area EXTREMELY shallowly sloped...a mistake, as now I've 25% less than 2 feet deep. Again, if it ever fills, I'll have good depth in this area, but for now, I fight pondweed and algae continuously.

I'd probably not add the hydrant below the pond...it's not added anything, and the water stinks to high heaven coming out, but it may pay off someday.

I'd have planned and budgeted for the dry hydrant in the second pond and not relied on the local FD to cough up the $$$ for it...as it's not gonna happen.

I'd put my large piles of trees at 90 degrees to the bank with fishing areas between them rather than parallel to the bank.
Losing way to many lures.

Matt, Our local Fire Dept. was allocated Federal funds for dry hydrants in private ponds. As far as I know the Federal program still has funds for this purpose. It might be worth your while to research this.
Our area is rural with few water mains and hydrants serving it. That might be pertinent to accessing the funds. Our FD dept. requires a pumper or tanker truck has access to the pond, meaning an improved road close to the pond with room to turn around.
My hydrant was installed Jun. 2005 and didn't cost me anything. I did make a donation to the dept. to buy Christmas gifts for our volunteer fire fighters. It sure helped on my home owners insurance payments.

Hey Tim:

I offered them any access they wanted, I'd blade up a lane for turnaround (plenty of space and 60x100 feet of gravel already) and I'd HAVE to maintaine it, as it faces the house and we'd look at it every day...or so tells me the wife. 8^)

It just seems that the FD doesn't have anyone with enough time/giddyup to actually fill out the grant forms. I don't believe I'm allowed to do it...chief (friend of mine) says "maybe next year, if the money's still available".

Not sure if better half will allow that, as the area's now seeded and looking good. Kind of hard to dig and lay the pipe deep enough after the pond's full...we'll see if this winter/next spring fills the hole. If not, maybe...