Originally Posted By: Bob-O
Setter, when I built my pond I cut 55gal drums into sections about 8"s. I'd read that they prefer 2-4' depth so that is where I placed them with about 5"s of gravel in em. I also put one or two basketball sized boulders near them. Found out that I have a ground water level pond and the water level varies from 20-30'. I've had good recruitment from the first spring I put the SMB in. Last yr when I came back from Fl in early May I found one bedding in about 10"s of water on my sand beach. Got a feeling you will have enough of em.

I have the exact same problem with my SMB beds. I put them at various depths because I wasn't sure about what I was doing. Now I have a pond that fluctuates about three feet. Right now the SMB beds are near the surface, or already exposed.
Fortunately or unfortunately, my pond base has a lot of rock mixed in with the clay. I suspect there's lots of places for them to spawn, if they want to. Of course, all that rock has more than likely contributed to my small leak..

9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023