Hi Wishingwell, before you do any work, continue to read on this site. The questions you ask will become much clearer in time with reading,unless you are a speed reader. Many of the gentlemen here have had or done what you are discussing here.
IMHO, I would say you would be better off with little shallow water. If for no other reason than having a large area for herons to congregate as well as cormorants(really bad! IMO).
In Tx.(I am in East Tx., Upshur County)at least in the last ten years, we have had some form of drought nearly every year. That said you would have a good portion of you pond non productive a lot of the year, just as essup and zep has indicated.
You indicated that your #1 goal is swimming and as a snake lover, I would say if you and your family would enjoy swimming with snakes, then by all means leave a bog area, but otherwise deeper and cleaner is better,for control for snakes, nutria,and a lot of other critters.
On the leaking stumps areas and the like, as I remember from what I have read on PB site, the dam is the worst area for stumps,BUT, you could end up with a sand, gravel,rock run, under any area, that is not looked at, sub surface. Most all the trees would die in a few years anyway, and much harder to clean the area due to either boggy or heavy growth if the area dried out IMO.
As I have been told on this site, fairly steep sides(or 12" to 20" drop-off) on ponds prevent Herons from hanging out.
Another item I read about on this site, that might interest you, is pond mats for your swimming area. My understanding is they can be interlocked and laid over the mud and will help hold sand if you put them in. East Tx mud just stains and can muck up a swim area pretty quickly as you and I know.
Also as I have read on this site, that deeper water ponds evaporate slower than shallower ponds.
You did not say what kind of wild life you wanted around but most wildlife will visit your pond if you build it. Bird feeders, some corn on the ground and a tree pile will give you birds,deer,and rabbits out the wazoo. Too much corn and you will be killin' pigs(good eatin' in my book).
Hot old East TX., I would say dig deep, steep sides except for swim area,pack, pack, pack the ground,quality dam with very clean quality core,mowable back side of dam and top,would get you pretty much what you said you want.
You did say fish was third, but do understand that fish will come no matter what, and you may want to consider fish you want, instead of whatever happens.
Sorry for the long post from a novice ponder,but I will say you are exposed to the best of the best here(not me)and I would recommend that if you read, listen to the many quality minds here, you will end up with a pond you can be happy and proud to own,that just might not cost as much to maintain. The other way is try to fix many problems later at a much higher cost.Just my .02 and IMHO.
