Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam Getting Started

Alright, this site gives me hope. I have bought my land, had my lake site surveyed, but... I have heard figures from $65,000 to $275,000 to build this lake with a 430' dam. I am using a very experienced lake building surveyor and an engineer he recommended but I am worried I could easily pay too much to get my 20 acre lake built. Question is: Does anyone have experience in pricing a lake from start to finish (not adding fish, ect). I am going the route of actually being the contractor and hiring the subs but wonder if I should just hire a lake building company. Any references for the latter would be appreciated as well as good overall advice.

thanks in advance!!!

Welcome to the forum!

Best one that I know of:

http://www.ottosdirtservice.com/

Good help. Thanks!

How many yards of dirt is going to have to be moved?

Sparkster31, send a PM to Brian Hoffman (Highflyer) about a pond builder in your area.
He did an outstanding job for Brian's 10 acre lake and I have seen the pond builder's private lake.

Welcome to the forum - several PB'ers in the area.
Allen (FireIsHot) has a lake just north of Emory.
Good Luck,
George Glazener

Sparkster, welcome aboard. I can't address prices since it's been over a decade since we built ours, but I will say this. Any dollar you spend before moving one bucket of dirt may save you hundreds down the road. Things like an available clean water shed, soil composition, subcontractor referrals, etc. are very important.

And remember that building a dam and building a pond are two very different things. I'm still fighting issues that could have been avoided if I knew then what I know now. Ask all the questions you need, this forum is loaded with experience and great help.

And, Emory rocks. Pott's, Hootens, Sidekicks, LFT, what else could you ask for in a 1,000 person town.

Good luck with your project.

Not sure yet but that IS the question isn't it?

George1, Thanks for the reference and the warm welcome!

FireIsHot, you hit the nail on the head by planning correctly. I guess I just want to know all there is to know right now. . Im a bit excited. In any event, thanks for the advice. Another question; I will need to clear a lot of very healthy and large hardwoods. Did you do this and did you get paid for the timber?

Yes and yes on the timber. I did keep the oak stumps though, and rolled them back in the pond after all the dirt work was done. There's opinions both ways, but I had mine placed roots up. They're still there and solid as a rock.

I felled the trees myself, and the lumber mill guy liked the arrangement. When the trees were pushed out, he had less problems to deal with.

If you have cedars on the property, you may want to save them too for shallow water cover.

Mike Otto is great, very nice guy, I've had him out to my place for consulting. He is practically a legend in pond consulting and building.

If Mike is busy..another guy I am using to build a retention pond below my dam is Lee Thornton in Edgewood, Texas. Lee actually built my 4 acre lake before I owned the property. Great guy, very reasonable, and honest as they come.

Lee Thornton:
(214) 394-7970
(903) 896-4862

ps: If later on you narrow down your list and want to see a lake Lee built you can come look at mine...I'm only 18-20 mins from Emory. My lake stayed pretty full through the drought. You should probably talk to Mike Otto, HighFlyer's guy, and Lee Thornton.

Got it. I think it will be too big of a job to cut the trees myself but I will consider it. like to know who you sold the timber to. Good advice on the cedars. I have just enough.

thanks again for the advice!!

Whatever you do, be sure that you don't use oak trees for structure. I did that and the tanins came out the fresh oaks into the new water. It turned black and lethal. I had to pump it dry and start over. Stumps are ok but not the entire tree.

Zep, I appreciate the invite and would love to see your pond. I have a home on little Mustang at Lake fork and am here fairly often. Just let me know and I will make it over there. Really appreciate it!

spoke with Mike Otto yesterday and we have an appointment. So, I very much appreciate everyones help and am amazed how many of you guys are so close. What a great resource this forum is...

Mr Davidson, great advice as i was going to leave some whole oak trees down in the lake. Not now. i will also consult Mike on this but do you think it has anything to do with the type of Oak? I believe they are scrub and post in Bowie. Anyway, thanks for the advice!

I'd do whatever Mike suggested, but there's no way to compact the lake bottom under the trees if they are left in there.....

The bottom is the last place you want the possibility of a leak forming.

Here is a good review on making sure your pond doesn't leak:

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G1555

sparkster, cut a fresh piece of the oak and toss it into a bucket of pond water or any other natural, non chlorinated water. Watch to see if the water changes. Toss a couple of minnows in to see if they are ok.

Dave:

A clients forage pond (maybe 1/20th ac) had an Oak Tree fall into it when the leaves were green last summer. Water turned black and stunk. I pulled the tree out, and thought it was a goner. It had FHM and Papershells in it.

Threw a minnow trap in it and no fish or crayfish.

Water level dropped to about 14" this winter, and I turned off the aerator for the winter thinking all the fish were dead, so why bother.

A week before I was going to re-stock it with FHM, I looked at the pond, turning the bottom diffuser back on. At the same time I noticed FHM swimming around.

You're right. They WILL live in a nuclear waste dump! No signs of the Papershells tho.....

Hi Sparkster31, You will get all the pond help you need here. I will tell you, that on my place, I had my trees cut into custom lumber and it was much cheaper than going to the lumber yard. I am building decks and will also use some for my pond deck project this year.Just another Idea on timber use.
Since you are lucky and found this site before you spent a bunch of money,read, read, read the archive section on this site and you will be far ahead of most newbees, like me, in short order.
One other thing I would suggest, you might want to look at, is brood ponds for minnows, fish etc. I do not have any yet but plan on one or two in the next year or two. From all I have read on PB the folks who have them, have a good tool for BOW fish and forage control.
Good luck and happy pond/lake management.