This whole time I've been thinking only about the water side of the equation, not the land side. That makes sense from a mowing standpoint. On the water side, since my pond will be 3/4 acre with a dock or bulkhead, I figured I wouldn't need it. But I suppose if someone falls in and wants to get out, it would be better to not have to swim across the pond back to the structure. Thanks for clarifying! I think I'll skip the 6" shelf because stuff grows way too fast down here, year-round (though I'll have a few shallows like that with Louisiana Iris and Cypress to beautify the place. Thanks again.

Kris