Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site New pond questions

I Just recently got a pond dug in southeast arkasnas. There are 3 ponds within 500 yards of my new pond. Should that help with knowing my pond will hold water? and alaso we just got a recent rain. and i walk out on the levee too see if my grass was holding up and i notice that the levee was really soft and mushy i guess u could say. would this be just from the fresh dirt moved on it and it will compact better? thanks for the help. also i been looking and using this site alot to help this is my first time posting.

Welcome Brian

Hard to say but if it was well packed, I don't PERSONALLY think it ought to be mushy. Did you have a good combination of clay and loam?

it was a clay and sand mixture. ran into a little gravel but not much. put topsoil on the top

Mushy is kind of a relative term. If I go out right after a rain on compacted or non compacted ground in my area, things are definitely going to be what I woul call mushy and my boots will grow with mud to about double in size with mud.

But after several hours of sunshine when it whites off, then it will be solid if compacted.

That is "here". Soils vary a lot.

thanks alot, That is what i had in mind also. im going to check is this evening after this sun and wind all day. But far as water the bottom of the pond is holding water after the two big rains we had. I will try get some pictures up. The clay that was under the sandy stuff was that red and tan looking clay? any suggestions on that type if you know what i'm talking about?

I am guessing it is only the topsoil that was feeling "mushy" since the soil was probably not compacted too tightly to allow good root systems in your grass to develop. As long as you do not see any sag, low spots or heavy erosion, I wouldn't worry.

what would be described as heavy erosion. there places on the slopes where water was running in. nothing on top of the levee though.

but we also got 6 in. of rain in the past two days