New Pond Help / Overspill / Erosion Control - Pond Boss Forum

So getting a new pond cut in and I am not too familiar overall with building a pond. They are building a pretty good size dam now. I have a few questions. 1st do I need a an overflow or can I use a bricklined spillway on ends of dam to control water level? Secondly what is the best initial grass for erosion control around the pond, brown top millet / winter rye mix? 3rd the sides are really steep currently but the sides are held together with roots, vegetation. If we cut down the sides we will lose that built in erosion control. Open to any information. Thanks.

The soil is thick clay, orange and some of it white. You could build bricks out of this stuff.

I think most will say it all depends and they need more info. There is a lot of ponds with just a grass spillway, but they need to be cut in the undisturbed soil and not in the new dam. The most important thing is how big the watershed is vs the pond size. A smaller pond with a bigger watershed will need a better overflow.

Well my entire front property slopes towards pond area, probably 5-7 acres. I'm in south AL. 60 inches of rain per year. Pond size is 0.60 acres.

Originally Posted By: Slickmullet

1st do I need a an overflow or can I use a bricklined spillway on ends of dam to control water level?

Take this as far as your budget will allow. As a rule of thumb, you pond size is adequte for your watershed, but every pond is different. I would put in a drain pipe with about 2 foot of freeboard for what little that would cost...just as insurance. Given a bigger budget...a bottom siphon system would be very nice to have.

Originally Posted By: Slickmullet

Secondly what is the best initial grass for erosion control around the pond, brown top millet / winter rye mix?

I can't help with the specifics here, but get something going if you can. I got lucky and went through the first winter as the pond was filling with just bare dirt. Some washed down, but no ditches formed. I was fortunate. My dam has a great stand of crab grass and weeds now, even though I planted fescue and rye. The ground cover at my place rarely takes my advice, but I am grateful for it!

Originally Posted By: Slickmullet

3rd the sides are really steep currently but the sides are held together with roots, vegetation. If we cut down the sides we will lose that built in erosion control. Open to any information. Thanks.

I assume you mean the inner slopes that make up the pond...if you don't want the extra size for the pond, IMO leave the natural cover. It will be less you have to worry about eroding during the fill. If there are trees roots involved. they will likely die once the water covers them up, depending on the tree type of course.

Originally Posted By: Quarter Acre

Originally Posted By: Slickmullet

1st do I need a an overflow or can I use a bricklined spillway on ends of dam to control water level?

Take this as far as your budget will allow. As a rule of thumb, you pond size is adequte for your watershed, but every pond is different. I would put in a drain pipe with about 2 foot of freeboard for what little that would cost...just as insurance. Given a bigger budget...a bottom siphon system would be very nice to have.

Can you give a detailed description of what this would be like? You say 2 feet of fretboard? Do you mean you a 10 or 12" drain pipe through the dam 2 feet below Crest?

Originally Posted By: Slickmullet

Secondly what is the best initial grass for erosion control around the pond, brown top millet / winter rye mix?

I can't help with the specifics here, but get something going if you can. I got lucky and went through the first winter as the pond was filling with just bare dirt. Some washed down, but no ditches formed. I was fortunate. My dam has a great stand of crab grass and weeds now, even though I planted fescue and rye. The ground cover at my place rarely takes my advice, but I am grateful for it!

Originally Posted By: Slickmullet

3rd the sides are really steep currently but the sides are held together with roots, vegetation. If we cut down the sides we will lose that built in erosion control. Open to any information. Thanks.

I assume you mean the inner slopes that make up the pond...if you don't want the extra size for the pond, IMO leave the natural cover. It will be less you have to worry about eroding during the fill. If there are trees roots involved. they will likely die once the water covers them up, depending on the tree type of course.

Yes. I have 1 side of the pond that the inner walls are pretty dang steep. The other sides with exception of dam have an easy slope to them.

Also what are the chances of us filling pond with run off / rain? All acreage slopes towards pond. I contacted my neighbor and she said her well is 150' deep worst case scenario.

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