Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site Half acre pond

Wait for more replies from other members to get 2nd & 3rd opinions. In a small 0.5 ac shallow pond the adding of "shelves, varying depths, and/or trenches" will serve what purpose? One shelf along one side at 4 to 5 ft deep loaded with numerous added artificial structure items will be IMO be all you need to concentrate fish for angling. Ideally the structure amount should in total be about 25%-30% of the total shoreline. I would put all the structure on one side or two sides or maybe wrap it around a corner. Ask contractor if he knows where to get discarded large broken concrete pieces that when placed along a shoreline as riprap (best down wind on wave washed shore), down to 3-4ft deep will serve as good structure items and shoreline stabilization.



Remember shallow water is where all your algae and weeds will grow to cause management issues. Weeds do not grow in deep water unless that water is shallow and/or very clear.

Once you allow for 3:1 slopes in a 0.5 ac pond there is not a lot of room in the bottom for a trench. Your soil structure may not allow for a trench with any depth greater than 1 ft below the main bottom area. Overall long term, in a 0.5 ac a flat or sloped bottom toward one end is likely the best design. A trench in the bottom may not get good circulation in it from an aerator. A shallow trench will serve as a collection settling basin for sediments and dead organics in the bottom. The trenches that I have seen in shallow ponds soon become filled with organic muck/slop. The trench will soon likely be filled with unconsolidated sediments especially if the pond gets tree leaf inputs. Soon the trench is no longer not much of a trench. The circulation currents will likely move over the top of the trench and leave the trench with low DO conditions which slows decomposition unless you put the diffuser in the trench. Even then good water circulation may not occur in the trench.