Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site 6 acre, Dryland - Starting from scratch

Howdy,

Can any of the experts please review the contour/topo map please point out any obvious wins to be had? Also what NOT to do what be super useful

We are looking for multiple small ponds to collect rainwater as capturing excess runoff from the swales in large rain events. Ponds will primarily serve as habitat and for irrigation in urgent time. There are often long periods of no rain and the ponds with liners could serve as storage for irrigation of trees/crops in such times Given this is arid/dryland we will probably need a shadenet to slow down evaporation as well. Ultimately there will be a structure (home) that should provide enough hard surface runoff for the day to day human use.

Water will be the priority on this site and the property will be zoned in Permaculture style primarily for a small market garden and small orchard. First few years the property will use hardy nitrogen fixing pioneer tree's to produce biomass and increase soil infiltration and recharge the water table with swales on contour. After a few years a majority of the property will be reforested with native hardy timber trees intercropped with beneficial perennials for a long term retirement income.

Average rainfall = 25 inches (high rainfall 40 inches)
Largest rain event = Usually not more than 4 inches in 24 hours
Area = 25851.18 sq mt / 2.42 Hectare

Please note, this is in rural South India. The resources especially information from official sources is very limited as well as the tech thats usually available in the western developed markets. Things are largely unregulated to there's no process of applying for permits etc. We will using a JCB 3dx for earth moving and a tractor on standby to haul around dirt etc.

Looking forward to youy responses

Ta,
A

Beautiful site, Andy. Gets the same annual rainfall as Abilene, Texas. Next thing I would do is pothole in the middle of the pond sites and get the soil analyzed. It would be great if there is high clay content in the soil at and just below the proposed bottom of the pond(s).
There doesn't seem to be significant erosion and you've got ample fall across the site. Looks like it may have been a tad overgrazed in the past?
Exciting project.

Thank you. I will look up Abilene, however the climate analogue for this specific region is very different. Elevation sits at about 950metre above sea level. Once we get the ecology in order I think it will turn into a lush paradise. This was forested area a century ago.



I did the good old bottle test. There is not a lot of clay on this site, however there are area's very close by that we can get when we want to seal these. There's a lot of rock/gravel and literally the neighbouring plot is a granite quarrying operation that they abandoned due unsatisfactory quality.



Not drastic erosion per se, however definitely have had the land form change over the years from what I can see in the surrounding areas. Overgrazed like maggots eating flesh off a bone. This is a relatively poor and backward area with subsistence farming so the property was the hotspot for villagers grazing goats and cows.




Sure is. The region had its worst drought in 140 years and has been progressively drought hit the last decade. However this month alone there was flash rains bringing in about 10inches of rain. If we do this right then every now and then with these large events the swales with planting should infiltrate enough into the aquifer and these ponds/dams should be able to capture overflow.

There is also a small hillock behind the highest point of the property and I plan on grading the road and boundary to feed all that runoff into the first swales. Huge opportunity thats why I'd rather overdo the ponds/tanks sizing for these erratic spikes of rain.

Expect more pics as I'm off to the site tomorrow morning!

Photos from earlier this year :

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ORGun508QRFDQmC72

I hope to finalise pond locations in the next few days and hoping to get feedback here. Will mark the location on satellite image/topo map for your critiques

Cheers
A

Andy,
Agree that regrading the boundary road will create the opportunity to significantly increase your drainage area.
Is the tilled (bare) square of ground in the aerial photo on your property? Curious as to its purpose.
I wonder what the purpose of the existing berms is. Lots of rock - I hope your land is not just sitting on a big granite ledge. The soil grows grass and that is one of the most important factors in determining how much work will need to be done to increase fertility to adequate levels to support your intended crops.
I hope that a design guru will jump in with input. I'm a construction guy and don't know much about pond design. I'll enjoy seeing the coming photos.

The tilled sqaure is a sub-division. City dweller who eventually plans to use this a retirement/hobby farm. The land is tilled with bullocks by a local villager who sows beans or things and is rain-fed only. A lot of subsistence farming occurs all over this area in this manner accelerating soil erosion, loss of habitat and salt buildup. The more enterprising farmers take loans and subsidies for drip irrigation, tractors and even poly tunnel greenhouses.



Berms in the aerial photos? Those are what are called "bunds". They are build usually around small plots to control soil erosion and holding some water as well as serving as a pathway. I would think of it as the dryland version of a raised bed, instead these are sunken beds. Also this site is a combination of multiple smaller sub-divisions so there's a series of different features often also made to run water off the property!



I don't have the geological survey or evidence to back it up, however gut feel and observation tells us this won't be the case. The existing tree's on site and evidence of a settlement here indicates the fertility and potential of the site. General conversation with locals also indicate how the site is better than some of the neighbouring ones, i.e. probably not sitting on the ledge like some of them!



The site has transformed since my last visit few months ago. There's little islands of colourful thorny rampant pioneering weeds (all friends in permaculture) that if unmanaged with a few years of rain like this would be a thorny brush lantana bush.

There's only a few inches of rain to be expected for the remainder of the year and then it's a harsh summer.

I estimate 3 years of reasonably active soil building will pave the way for a thriving forest garden.

The plan of action is 1) water infiltration 2) Native tree's nitrogen fixing trees that provide shade and gently fracture the soil. 3)Depending on how the initial phase goes we may proceed with a 3 month commitment to employ labour and turn piles and piles of compost and get prepared for the next monsoon while growing the mulch needed to dress every inch of the property



Hope so too! Work will commence in 2 weeks so I'd like someone to vet the pond site selection and accompanying earthwork to feed/drain the pond/dams