Pond Boss
Posted By: BillyE Hard Clay - 07/30/11 10:30 PM
I live in Cleveland Texas. The area we dug my pond in is clay, and a low area of my property. When it rained, it held water until it evaporated. When I dug the pond, we found some really hard clay, packed, so hard we could not dig but a few inches at a time with a 200 series track hoe when we reached it. Due to this, there are areas that are only a couple of feet deep. My questions is can a pond be too shallow? About half of the 3/4 acre pond is about four to five feet, the other half is only about two feet.
I know of a guy about 10 miles away that dug his pond deep, about 15 feet and went through the clay. Now he has problems with his pond loosing water, I don't want that.
I plan on redigging it next year by lowering the level down about two feet and bringing in a bigger hoe, if finances and the wife allow.
The pond is well stocked, and I have not seen any fish kills, I keep it aerated with a waterfall and fountain, so it seems healty.
What are your thoughts.
Posted By: esshup Re: Hard Clay - 07/31/11 02:48 AM
Yes, I think a pond can be too shallow. A pond that is shallow can let sunlight to a considerable amount of the pond bottom, and where sunlight hits, weeds will grow. Depending on water clarity of course. A shallow pond also heats up and cools down quicker. IIRC I think a while back (years) a cold rain was the reason why there was a fishkill in a pond.

During periods of low rainfall, they are also more prone to going dry.
Posted By: jludwig Re: Hard Clay - 08/01/11 01:27 AM
Esshup pretty much covered it. When building ponds here, we try to go at least ten feet if the ground will allow us.
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