Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site Questions about spring, dam, and fish

We're digging about 1/4 acre (maybe a little less) pond on our farm. The area has 3 springs feeding a small stream with the water temp. around 56 degrees when it comes out of the ground. The stream is flowing at about 22 gallons/minute (I still need to double check that figure). We're going to go downstream from the springs to dig the pond (we're digging down below the surface of the water and not just damming up the stream) and we're hoping not to back up the water so much that it affects the springs at all.

One of our concerns is digging the pond and creating a new opening for the water that currently feeds those existing springs. From what I've read if a new spring does pop up while we're digging we can pack clay in/over where the water is coming out and that will seal it off, making sure all the water keeps coming out of the existing springs? Is there a better way or has anyone else had experience with this?

The second question we have is in regard to building the dam and the core/key for the dam. We're putting the dam in the existing stream channel and trucking in some good clay to use in it. My question is, how far do we need to go down below the existing waterway with the core to insure the water doesn't seep out, and how far back into the back on either side of the stream should we dig to lock it into place there as well?

We are also hoping to stock the pond with trout and maybe some other species. Any thoughts on that, given the temperature of the water and the flow rate?

We already have muskrats (or some animal that burrows into stream banks) all along the stream. Is there a good way to keep them from burrowing through the dam?

Some pictures of the area: http://s809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/wilkinst/Pond/

Also any posts that you think might be useful for a beginner to read please pass on.

Thanks for all the help!

-Trey

Trey,

Without knowing the profile of your soils, both questions are difficult to answer. A good first step would be to see if your local USDA NRCS office can come out and take some core samples across where you want to place the dam. That will tell you how deep you will need to go to get the core trench sealed. Also remember that the core trench has to extend up both sides of the draw to a point higher than your desired water level.

If you're looking at putting your dam at a location where the full pool water level will be lower than the elevation where your springs come out, there is a good chance the dam and excavated area in front of it will not affect the springs. However even if you do cut into the source of the springs when you are digging your hole in front of the dam, the water will still end up in the pond.

As some on this board have noted before, if the source of your water is higher elevation than the pond, it should still keep coming into the pond (unless the laws of physics change).

Bill

We're going to try to dig some test holes with the backhoe to see how the soil looks, so I'll know more on that later on.

Any ways to keep the muskrats and other animals from burrowing through the dam?

We've put large field stone on several of our dams to prevent wave damage, as we have pretty consistent windy days up here. They can't burrow through those.

If you can find a trapper to harvest them, that would be a good step to take. Otherwise a 20 gauge or 22 does the trick.

Bill

Metal fencing weighted down or buried on the water side of the dam is 100 percent effective. You only need it for the top few feet of the waterline if your water level doesn't fluctuate much.