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#271306 10/06/11 12:11 PM
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I have been going back and fourth on weather or not a well to assist keeping my pond at full pool is worth the investment? My pond is about 3 years old 3/4 acre 9'-14' average (depending on time of year) dug in sandy loam with a fair amount of clay. The pond holds water pretty well but by fall I am down about 3'-4' every year. Typically late October rains bring me back up a foot or two and they by spring I am back at full pool to do it all over again. Overall i really cannot complain considering what some others are dealing with. I have been tossing around digging a well for two years but think I may make the plunge in the spring. The kicker is to get the water I need (20-25 GPM) I need to go down 340' so i am looking at a $7500 investment. It seems to me I should be able to keep the pond at full pool with the additon of the well but others have told me I am "pissing in the wind". It seems to me since the pond holds water pretty well with 20 gpm of incoming water I should be able to keep the level up? Any thoughts?

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I am glad that we overdid our dam and sealing. Our 1.3 acre pond is down 12 inches in one of the worst droughts we have had. Neighbor's ponds are at least 3' low - most much lower. Friends thought I was a bit nuts to spend so much money on this small pond, but I am happy with the results. It is sealed like a swimming pool.

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Originally Posted By: BIGBRAND0105
I have been going back and fourth on weather or not a well to assist keeping my pond at full pool is worth the investment? My pond is about 3 years old 3/4 acre 9'-14' average (depending on time of year) dug in sandy loam with a fair amount of clay. The pond holds water pretty well but by fall I am down about 3'-4' every year. Typically late October rains bring me back up a foot or two and they by spring I am back at full pool to do it all over again. Overall i really cannot complain considering what some others are dealing with. I have been tossing around digging a well for two years but think I may make the plunge in the spring. The kicker is to get the water I need (20-25 GPM) I need to go down 340' so i am looking at a $7500 investment. It seems to me I should be able to keep the pond at full pool with the additon of the well but others have told me I am "pissing in the wind". It seems to me since the pond holds water pretty well with 20 gpm of incoming water I should be able to keep the level up? Any thoughts?


I don't think you can "guarantee water." Therefore, a dry hole is a possibility. On the other hand, one of the nice things about a well is the ability to irrigate with "unmetered" water. Also, govt. regs. may soon negate the ability to drill one.

Just part of the thought process for you to weigh. Good luck.

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good point. I am not to worried about getting water at that depth. My surrounding neighbors all have great water right about 300'. My concern is being able to keep the pond at full pool with the addition of the well. The few drillers i have talked to said at 300' i can pull as much water as i want without any problems.

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Sounds good. Then have them put their money where their mouth is on the contract; i.e. no water=no money.

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good thought......

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I originally bought my fish years ago at Aquatic Control in Seymour, IN but now they just do pond management I believe. But what intrigued me was they had one pond that was dug down to surface water and from that water they pumped water to all of their other ponds.


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It is pretty hard not to hit water in Michigan, unless the well driller is an idiot.

The only reg's I know of right now, is if you pump 75gpm for 30 days you have to report your water usage to the state along with a hundred bucks so they can process the data. Not sure how or if that applies to residential use.

They also tried to get a well tax through. Every well owner had to have a meter installed and would be taxed on how much water they used. Glad that one failed!

Our township only allows one well on your property unless you are zoned agricultural. There are ways around that one tho. Neighbor had two wells and they made him decommission the one that was not supplying his house. He should have kept his mouth shut. Heck, up until last year, you could not even have chickens. City jerks running country townships crazy

I would also look into shallower wells, ones that you can drive yourself. 20gpm may be possible.

7500.00 for a 300 foot well is a pretty good price. 12 years ago, my sister paid 8K for a 180 foot well. My dad was just quoted 4500.00 for a 60 foot well. You need to find a reputable well driller.

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Around here the price of the well not only includes the actual drilling, but the pump, wiring, bladder tank and the plumbing needed to connect it up to the house. Plus clean-up of the site. Going to a variable speed well pump would have bumped my 3K price tag by another 1K and that's for a well that was drilled in sand, 66' deep.

There are other options:

http://www.deeprock.com/Specials/Special.aspx?SI=13

They'll send out a free DVD I believe.


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When I was in the army early 50's I had a buddy that helped his dad drive a well with a point with filter, pipe and sledge hammer for their new built home. That was the first I ever heard of that kind of well. In the 60's I helped a friend drill a well where the point had a twist auger point and two of us push on arms extended from the pipe to put the well in. He had all the water he needed for his family. I had another friend who's dad dug a well about 3 foot in dia and lined it with mortared rocks. That looks very dangerous but these type of wells are possible.


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for what its worth im in louisiana, a long way from you. i had a well drilled and it cost me about $7,000.00, but i dont have to worry about my pond. I originally dug it at about 1 acre, then before pond boss i stocked per the hatchery's guidlines. needless to say im very overstocked, so i dug another acre and a half to try and give the fish room to grow. if i wouldn't have done the well i would have lost everything, it has been running steady for 7 months just to maintain the water level. i dont know if ill ever be able to turn it off but it only costs me about $100.00 a month for a well that keeps my pond at full pool, worth it to me many times fold.

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guess i got lucky.
I found a pump on Craigslist , Sta-Rite 50 or 60 GPM , all stainless , never used. in box and all.
Found a well guy that came and drilled for me to 180 feet, and installed the pump. $ 2000 , cash of course. But it was a great deal.
Most of the drillers that i found , would not install my pump that i had bought , and would only offer 20 to 30 GPM pumps.

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Wells are seldom the answer to pond problems. One acre ft of water is 326,000 gallons of water. Just one inch over an acre is about 27,000 gallons. Think about just how effective a well has to be to make a difference. Calculate the cost of electricity.

BTW, that one acre foot weighs 2.718 million pounds.

NOTE: That statistic and lots more money saving pieces of info are in Lusks book "Perfect Pond...Want One?".

Last edited by Dave Davidson1; 01/03/12 07:41 PM.

It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Big brando 105, I'll tell you about my 3/4 acre pond and using a well with a 20 gpm pump. I irrigate my 2 acre lawn so I pull alot of water from the pond to water the lawn.I can see the drop in water after irrigation of the lawn. I have had no problems keeping the pond full with the small pump. Dave Davidson states "wells are seldom the answer to pond problems" and I would think he is correct. However if you are not leaking water from your pond like myself then you don't have a problem.I put around 40,000 gallons of water on my lawn per week (when not raining) which runs my pump for about 36 hrs.I have not calculated the cost of running my pump but, the seldom amount I have to use it and the enjoyment I get from a green lawn doesn't matter to me in regards to the small amount (to me) per year in electricity I use. I sure don't consider it an investment...It's a luxury for me.Just thought you might want my results.

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Wow, irrigate a lawn. I never understood this... I get annoyed in the summer when the weeds continue to grow but the grass stops and I still have to mow :-(. However I cultivate my weeds since they are far more interesting than grass. Example: we can harvest native strawberries from the lawn in June for breakfast, and Asters in the fall. I guess I am a lazy naturalist ;-).

I suppose if you live in a hot climate, that is the only way to keep your lawn around and usable. I don't hold it against you at all, it is probably beautiful where my lawn looks "interesting".

On the other note of wells, isn't there concern for effecting the water table of your own drinking well or your neighbor's well by pumping so much water out of the ground? I would hate to think that you may potentially effect someone's well-being trying to keep a pond topped-off. There is only so much gazinda and gazouta to go around.

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I used to have friends that lived in Saratoga, IN when Campbell Soup had a vegetable processing factory there. Campbell used so much water in the processing of their veggies that the water table would drop and wells would go dry in town.


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In our droughty area, having a well was the difference between having a pond and not having a pond. We saved the pond, the fish, THE VIEW, the ducks and a plethora of other wildlife with it. We also irrigate the grass and house foundation with it; without taking from the pond which is really counter productive in a drought. It's the best investment we have made to date on the property.

Oh, and the water bill from our "town" water went from $75-$80 per month to $25. With the increased electricity use, it's about a wash.

Last edited by Sniper; 01/08/12 05:30 PM.
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Let me chime in with my $.02 worth. I guess the key factor is how well your pond holds water. Because of the drought last summer my 1/2 acre pond dried up by Aug., I cleaned it out, modified it a little, added structure and drilled a well. It is 325', produces 42 gpm, however I couldn't afford that big of pump so I ended up with an 18 gpm pump, it pumps about 26K gpd., I filled the pond in about a month with a lot of help from mother nature this winter, and have noticed since that my evaporation/leakage is about 1/4" per day. Based on 27k gals. per acre Inch I loose about 6750 gals. a day. Since I pump almost 26K in 24 hrs., I can refill my pond running the well 12 hrs. every other day. !2 hrs. on the pump costs about $2.25, times 15 days is about $34.00 a month on a small 18 gpm pump. I think ya'll would agree to spend that to keep your pool full. I realize that these numbers will vary with weather, humidity, etc., but I think having that much water available is worth many times the cost. My well cost $7200.00 including pump installation. The other benefit is I have un-limited water for irrigation, (3 acre lawn and garden) that cost last year $175.00 a month from the local water supply. Doesn't take long to pay back the well cost at those numbers.

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is you really don't need 30-60 gpm. to top-off and maintain a pond unless you are loosing a lot of water or you have a really big pond. My pump will put out 26K a day, that is average evap./leakage in a 4 acre pond (@ 1/4" day). So for those with avg. size ponds, 1/2 to 2 acres, this size well works great for a reasonable cost. And least we not forget that here in hot country the cooling effect of fresh water is a plus.

Thanks for bearing with me, I think this information is valuable if you are considering a well...........Budster

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I've been looking into a well and have contacted two local drillers. Both are around the 8-9k range for 240 ft well @ 12gpm. One says I can pipe the well water right to the pond and the other says you need to oxygenate the water or you will kill the fish. Can the group here help educate me? Can you run a fountain off the line and will that suffice?


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How large is your pond? How deep? Do you aerate?

The oxygenation issue sounds bogus, unless perhaps you have a very small pond.

Fountains are pretty, but not the best for aeration/oxygenation.

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Originally Posted By: budster
My well cost $7200.00 including pump installation. ...Budster


Budster....I don't know a thing about wells, but my some of
my neighbors tell me "nobody has had any luck drilling a well" near
my new property. Were you happy with the company you used?
My property is in Wills Point.

I am talking with the water utilities and they say the meters will
be $3500 each and I am going to need three meters, plus the trench
digger may end up costing $8K....so I am nearing $20K to get water.
Of course that has me thinking about a well. Are there some areas in
East Texas that a well is just not cost practical or is does it have
a lot to do with the competency of the well digging company?







Fishing has never been about the fish....

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Originally Posted By: Sniper
How large is your pond? How deep? Do you aerate?

The oxygenation issue sounds bogus, unless perhaps you have a very small pond.

Fountains are pretty, but not the best for aeration/oxygenation.


1/2 acre and the deepest is 17 ft. I currently don't aerate.


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Groundwater (i.e. well water) usually doesn't have enough O2 to support fish, and it might have other harmful gasses in it. By running the water thru a stacked column like Cecil does, it removes the bad and adds O2.

Do any of your neighbors have a well? If so, try and find out who drilled it.


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There are only 2 drillers in the area and one of them drilled our well 12 years ago (original owner).

Is there a link to Cecil's setup?


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My usual fountain advice: Fountains are like race horses and beauty contest winners. They are pretty to look at, expensive to buy, can be expensive to maintain and don't do a lick of work.

Try an aeration system.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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