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Hi Everyone!
I’m just now getting started in the planning of a large pond and thought I would turn to the experts for advice. I have 10 acres located in eastern Washington State, 1/3 of which is rock and the other 2/3 is meadow. My house is sitting on the rock and facing the meadow. Currently I have a pond directly to the right of my house (about 200’x100’ ) that fills every spring and drains out a small crick that goes through the middle of my meadow. Depending on how much snow we get the pond will only have water in it till May through July before it dries up. My goal is to move the pond to the meadow so that I can see it from the view windows of the house and keep water in year round. I also need tons of good soil for landscaping around the house (to cover all the rock) and thought I may be able to kill 2 birds with one stone. I want to dig a new 1 acre +/- sized pond in the meadow and dig out the crick so that the old pond will drain without collecting as much water. So, here is where I need the help. I’m not even sure where to start. I have the equipment to dig out the pond and move the dirt so this will cost nothing more than time and fuel, which it’s been hard not to go and start digging but I want to get a detailed plan of everything I will be needing for this to be a success. I want the pond to just be for swimming. I’m not interested in stocking it with fish or plants or anything. I would like to put sand around some of it like a beach and also maybe a dock. I also want the water to be fairly clean so that myself and others will actually want to swim in it. However, there is quite a bit of wild life that I am sure will be taking advantage so want to make it safe and durable for ducks, geese, deer, elk, and moose. Any help on where to get started would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Even if you don't want fish, you should plan to stock it, or it will stock itself, and you may not like what you get. Success in getting a good pond depends a lot on your soil structure, so some test holes are likely needed. The existing pond that drains, likely tells you a simple hole is not going to work.

I have 2 immediate thoughts.

1. Contact the Pond Boss office and buy the book "Perfect Pond..Want One?" by Lusk. It will answer questions that you won't think about until after completion.

2. Without fish, what will eat the mosquito larvae?

I agree that fish are a big help with mosquitoes, but I have no mosquitoes in my fish-free wetland. Insect preditors do a perfect job.

I guess all I can say is huh??? It is news to me that mosquitos anywhere in the world were outnumbered by predators to the point of 100% control. I bet the guys who worked on the Panama Canal wish they had the same problem. I'm very skeptical you have no mosquito larva in your fish-free wetland. I'd like to hear more about what you claim keeps them in check.

Its actually isolated temporary pools of water that are the major habitat for mosquito larvae in the midwest. I actually have fewer mosquitoes since intalling the wetlands. My situation is actually typical and predictable, but I like empirical evidence, and have it. By the way, I am an entomologist.

Well by your logic then you can solve the West Nile problem that is using insecticide sprays to keep mosquito numbers in check here in NW PA then?? I'm an engineer but I haven't perfected my perpetual motion machine yet, you are so fortunate. Excuse the sarcasm, but I just find the claim that you have no mosquitos because you have insect predators a bit hard to believe.

Easy guys.

2 thoughts.

Contact Dan VanSchaik he is a wildlife biologist at danv@texoma.net


http://www.pondboss.com/pdf/PB_Mar_Apr%202008_web.pdf see pg 6

and /or

Try Mike Mitchell Queen of the River Consultants from Longmont, Colorado. Mike knows plenty of people who can help you. Ring his number at (303)651-2514