Welcome to the forum, redclay!
As Bill D said, you'll need water pumps to keep the water level at a minimum. If you can dig a deep hole to pull water from to keep it drained below the work area, even better. Your water level will fluctuate through the year at whatever height the water table is at any given time. Rainy weather, the water will be high....in dry times, it might be several feet lower...as much as 10 feet or more lower. Ask your local well drillers and/or NRCS agent what the levels range at in your area.
If your "shallow" ponds are built in a high table period, they may go dry in dry weather lows....
