I have a new pond just under an acre. It is stream and spring fed. I have to leave the valve on the open so the pond does not overflow. Is is OK to put fish in without them going out the bottom of the dam?

The majority of your fish should be fine and I would not worry too much about them going out the bottom of the dam.

Jeff,

First, welcome to Pond Boss.

I second what jludwig says. I wouldn't worry about it. If they are healthy, they aren't going to let themselves get sucked through a dark hole. In general, they are going to swim against the current.

Do you have a goal for the pond? Do you have a stocking plan based on that goal? The crew on here will be more than glad to help you make the right choices, and hopefully avoid long-term mistakes.

Any pictures? How about your experiences, good and bad, regarding building a new pond?

Regards,
Ken

Hi Ken thanks for the welcome. Short term goal is an irrigation source but I do want to put some fish in the pond. I had it made deeper and wider last year due to some springs we uncovered while excavating. It's about 12 to 14 feet deep at the deepest part. I have attached a couple pictures.

My next questions will be about making sure I keep the pond healthy and what kinds of fish I should be thinking of.

Regards,

Jeff

Nice looking pond... Well, to answer your question of what type of fish should I be thinking of, knowing what you'd like to get out of your pond is important. As is knowing what you are willing to put into it?

Are you willing/wanting to aerate your pond? Willing to feed your fish?