Welcome aboard Brian!
Let me begin this post by stating I am NO expert on water quality, but there are numerous members here who should be able to guide you in the right direction.
That being said my first step would be to collect two "water samples" in different mason jars (from different areas of pond depending on its size). Set them on the counter and then check their appearance after a few hours. This is an easy way to see if you are dealing with organics or inorganics. Mud should (may not, but should) settle to the bottom of the jar, but organic matter usually stays suspended. You did not state if the pond already had residents in it, but if large cats (and some other fish) are present then they tend to keep mud stirred up once they get good size on them. After this cheap test you need to see if a local lab or pond manager can test other factors like pH, total hardness, and total alkalinity.
Good news is it can be fixed (if needed), and you are already on the right track just by wanting to get something done.
Again I welcome you and hope to see some good posts from you through out your journey.
Deb
