Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Is it possible to build for ducks and fish?

I have bought some land and I'm in the planning stages for all the great things to do with it. On the land there is a low wet area with marsh grasses growing in an area of about 7 acres.

What I would like to do is have a 1-2 acre pond with fish for my kids and family. I would also like to be able to flood it to about 5-7 with the new area only being 1-2 feet deep. The shallow area would be planted with crops that would attract ducks like Jap millt. I would then flood it with an artesian well as duck season approaches. My question is am I doing the wrong thing by trying to have a 2 in 1 pond? I'm not looking for trophy bass. I just don't want to do something that later I wish I had done it differently.

Here is a topo (not completely accurate) and aerial photo of the land. When I looked at it before I bought it, the area that is listed as water had none, only vegetation.

I have a thought for you DD - if you try this and it doesn't work what's the harm? You either fall back to no flooding and make it a fish pond, or you continue flooding and it's a duck pond. Build the pond on the edge of the low wet area so you can flood or not flood depending on how it works. I think it will work though. Fish don't care if a pond overflows its banks once every year. I bet they'll all migrate to the deeper water when you draw it down by themselves as long as you don't draw it down too fast. I've been thinking of doing the same things some day so it will be interesting to see what other more expert pond folks think.

Howdy, Delta Dave!

For the record, your secret Pond Boss Too Many Daves nickname is "Biffalo Buff."

Sherman Wyman has written several articles in PBMag, appearing over the last year, on waterfowl and fish ponds. Like you, he has both passions. You may find the back issues interesting.

Those low spots just have to be old oxbows of that river at the right edge of the property.

Hey it's me Dave, Dave's not here Man, NO man I'm Dave, Dave's not here Man, NO man I'm Dave, Dave's not here Man.......