Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Digging Pond - Any Suggestions?

We are currently digging a pond ourselves with a tractor. It has been there for a long time, but just dries up in the summer so we can't stock it. The soil is black (north Texas) and turns sticky and clay-like when wet. The only thing we know to do is dig it out more. We did manage to make the drain so that it will raise the pond level about 2 feet. Any suggestions?

My immediate thought is that if you are digging it out and trying to raise the dam, you will have a problem packing the new ly dug out dtuff.

Brandon,
Do you think the pond is leaking or do you just not get enough precip.? Have you tried the bucket test to check for significant leakage? Is your watershed large enough for your pond? Making it deeper will not help if your watershed isn't large enough to keep it full in the first place.

It just doesn't seem to be holding water well. I guess it's leaking, but I'm not sure how to find out. I also do think that there is enough runoff water to keep it full, except in the summer when we may not have rain for over a month in the summer.

Brandon,

If you would like some professional help, please give us a call...we are based out of Frisco, TX and would love to help you out any way we can! E-mail me at trent@pondmedics.com.

By the way...great profile!

What nobody told you is that you must build a good dam by digging down past all of the black soil to clay. You must then scrape all the black soil away in your pond and obtain clay to build a dam with. So your dam must be made of clay, sitting on clay. Lots of pond builders scrape down to clay and build a core wall of clay, then cover and surround it with dirt so that plants will more easily grow on the dam.

Just adding more leaky black dirt on top of your existing leaky black dirt will do you no good. Gotta be well packed clay, all the way to the existing clay subterrainian levels.

Nick,
The dam is already built. The pond that we are digging out already existed when we purchased the property. It just didn't hold water. Another thing is that we haven't been seeing much clay. After the black stuff is limestone. Any other tips? I really don't know what to do.

Brandon Stop!!!!!!!!!
Use this board to get a little/lot of professional help either in person or at least through e-mail. You will spend a lot of time and money and still have a puddle at the end if you don't. Crack the wallet open, unfortunately, and do it right the first time.
Toby

Brandon, I have to agree with Toby. not suggesting you waste money, but to do it right will take money. the larger the pond, the more money in general. i don't think anyone is discouraging you from achieving your dream, but your descriptions of what is going on may set you up for disappointment. for example, i built a big pond, cost me a pretty penny. a guy up the street hired a less expensive, but also less experienced bull dozer operator to build his pond. he spent 8-9k on his pond, i spent a looooot more. mine is almost full; his ran over the top and cut the dam, had to spend another 4 grand rebuilding. mine is still holding water, doing great. his is now down to almost a puddle, and he has hardly any fish surviving, but feedin' the buzzards and bears and coons (which is great if you like that stuff, but i want a big pond and fish, i'll go to the zoo to see bears!!) soooo, IF you can save for a few years if you have to, THEN do it right the first time, over the years you will have a better return on your INVESTMENT. Think of it as something that must last 40 or more years, not just a few seasons, and calculate the cost savings over that long of a period and the cost won't look so bad. now, i hope this encourages you, and more importantly, backs you up when you talk to your wife about spending money on moving/buying dirt and paying to have a fancy hole dug. I can just imagine what the guy's wife up the street says to him when she drives by there expensive puddle! his property has now not increased in value at all, and will only cost him more in the long run to fix it. not to mention the "i told you so's" from his wife!!! so, tell your wife it's all for her, and you are just thinking of her!!! ha, good luck and have fun, keep us posted on your success. Brandon, also reviewed your profile. I'm a Christian too, thumbs up. Truly, another Success story!! I think you'll love this website, the folks on this website are great. I don't know about you or some of the other folks, but as WOOD said "my pond is my refuge", and i spend alot of time thinking, praying, and thanking the guy upstairs for such a wonderful opportunity to see the fish, water, wildlife..when working around my pond. have fun. mark

Hey, thanks for the advice guys. I guess ya'll are probably right. Really, I don't know much about pond building, and I don't want to spend much. I guess that won't happen. Anyway, thanks for the tips.

brandon, don't give up yet. talk to your local fire departemnt see if they will help pay for the pond if you agree to let them use it for "emeergency fill sites".. also, check with your local dirt companies....try to make a desl with them...sell them your dirt, and in turn you get a hole ..saves some money on excavation...lots of options...never give up!!!