Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Swamp into pond?

Part of our property contains what used to be a small gravel pit. approximately 3 acres make up the pit itself and near the center is a deeper hole where water stands most of the year. this whole is approximately 3/4 of an acre and during "stable times" it remains about 3 feet deep. only in extremely dry times does it dry out completely. in late winter and early spring however it swells over the entire pit making the level in the center nearly 6 feet deep and rendering the land around the center pit useless. My question is: can this sand and gravel pit be made into a stable pond and contain the flood waters in a more concentrated area. I realize the water is seeping up through the ground and not runoff but id like to a: have a usable pond and b: have a more usefull land around the pond.

Thank you in advance,

David

Your situation sounds to be very similar to mine. Sand/gravel with a high water table. With the limited information you provided, it sounds as if additional excavation could result in a year round pond if enough water is available from the sand/gravel aquifer. Review some area water well records to determine the saturated thickness of that gravel layer. Since you describe marsh conditions, there may be wetland permits required. I'm not familiar with the Ohio regulations, but in Michigan regulated wetlands are defined by the size (5 contiguous acres) and/or hydraulic connection to other wetlands, lakes or streams.

Others can chime in here but there are advantages to gravel pit ponds including sale of the material potentially paying for the excavation, favorable substrate for spawning conditions, lack of an inlet or outlet protecting the pond from undesireable species and never having to worry about a leaking liner.

Some negatives could be the time required for excavation and if the material is not marketable the expense is high. You will need a place to put the material if it cannot be sold (see the current issue of Pond Boss and Norm's pond). Another potential negative may be low alkalinity limiting the fertility of the water (some may consider this a plus).

We have about three feet of variation in the water table and have used this variation to engineer some of the shorelines with a gradual slope in order to provide plantings that are seasonally flooded for waterfowl. The high water in the spring also provides refugia for newly hatched fry. The downside is that fish are vulnerable to herons during high water.