Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations How to determine size for spring fed pond

Hello everyone,

Two weeks ago I found a natural spring on my property which drains a few feet from a small feeder vein into our main creek. Even though I do not live on the property, I have owned it for 3 years and yet never stumbled upon it. To be honest, I am not sure if it is a new spring or if it has existed for many years. I am just thrilled to have discovered it.

This past weekend I tried to dig around it to see if I could make it flow more and discovered that it is flowing parallel under the ground about 18 inches deep. I have tried to follow its source by digging a path, which so far has become 10 feet long by 1 foot wide trench. The spring's opening seems to be about 1 foot tall by 1 foot wide. I am starting to wonder if it is worth spending another half day digging to find its source.

If I had to take a guess, it is outputing between 10 - 15 gallons a minute. I live in North Alabama and my land is mostly 2-6 feet of gray clay and red clay down further. In other words, water holds up pretty good. I am curious if there is anyway I can determine how big of a pond this spring can support? Any answers would be greatly appreciated.

It would take about 2 to 3 months to fill a 1/2 acre pond at 10 gal/min

1 surf acre=43560 cu ft. 1 gal = .1337 cu ft. 1 surf acre = 325800 gal.

Depending on evap and seepage rate you will probably need another source to fill the pond and perhaps the spring could supplement the evap & seepage to maintain full pool levels.

Thanks for the answer rocktopper. Just curious, once the pond fills up, with a good clay foundation, could a 10 gal flow rate from a spring keep 1/2 acre pond at a constant full level without any other outside factors such as rainfall or a watershed? Also, my idea pond would be 1 - 1 1/2 acre. Is this too big of an area for a spring this size to support?

boomer I have two spring fed ponds, this is what I have learned. The springs have ran every year but at different rates. If you are getting 10gal/min this year, I would not gaurante it again next year. Also mine do not always run in the hottest part of the summer when water is needed the most. They do however seem to keep the ponds VERY fertile and full. These two will be full when ponds that only use run-off are getting lower. In the hottest summer of the last five years a few years ago, even the spring could not keep up with the evaporation.

Overall they usually keep the pond full, but I see them as a bonus, not like a well thats filling the pond. Usually run at least 9 months a year.

Hi Jakeb, do you mind me asking what size are your ponds and what is the gal/min flow rate during wet season?

oops, wrong thread

i do have question, if it is seeping right next to creek, how are you going to put in a half acre pond?

maybe i am a visual kinda guy, thinking of tatyana, do you have pictures of the spring?

Hi Cliffbrook,

Sorry, I don't have pics yet, but maybe this weekend if it isn't raining.

The spring is about 25 yards from the main creek. It used to sit a few feet from a feeder vein that flows into the main creek. Now, since I have dug a trench to find the source, it sets back about 12 feet away from the drainage ditch. For all that I know, I might be able to dig a trench further away from the drainage ditch as I have yet to find the source spot. I assume the ditch would be dry most of the year if not for the spring. The vein naturally exist as a wash for the rain. I think I could get away by buiding a pond with the spring sitting at the edge of the pond and building a small dam at the other end where the topology slopes a few feet lower.

One is 2.5a the other is .5 the smaller one stays full more. I have no clue on the gal/min but is rather large because this is on about 80acres of land and the entire north side is a giant spring. you have to have 4X4 to get across it certain times of the year. However none of this part runs into my ponds. The area that feeds the ponds is very small, I would say less than 100X100 ft.