Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam Just broke ground on our new 3 acre pond

First we had a timber company log the hardwoods off the site and a few weeks later (last week) the contractor showed up with a D8, D6 and a track hoe. The site is extremely dry from mild drought, but today we had over 2 inches of rain which should help them compact the soil. The dam width will be roughly 75 yards and is going to be a long lake filling up a ravine to roughly a 3 acre lake. Good clay was under 4 feet of sand. core is 4-6 feet wide. The contractor pushed all the sand back behind the dam. We are putting in two 8 inch syphon drains.

Captain..looks like it's going to be a nice pond.

Also looks like we're not too far from each other.

That looks good. I like the idea of the syphon drains but wondering why 2 8 inch ones.

Dave, this is a fairly steeped bank ravine that pushes a lot of water in the spring. Pond builder feels like we need the 2 pipes as insurance. We also will of course have an emergency spillway. This is the same contractor that built our 2 acre pond. This site has much better clay but no charged springs right now. Zep, I am a Dallas resident with weekend property in MINEOLA.

Wow Captain1 small world. My place is 8 miles out of Mineola.
We'll have to meet for a burger sometime at East Texas Burger Company.
I have yet to have one, but hear good things about them.
Always see lots of motorcycles parked there when I drive by.
I think I will be culling some bass out over the next year,
maybe we can put some from my waters into yours.

East Texas Burger Co

East Texas Burger has excellent burgers. Try the sweet potato fries! We may want to do a trade on some bass. I have another pond that could use a bit of culling. We can add some fresh blood to the gene pool!

Our land is a couple miles north of The Mineola Walmart.

Hey guys,

This is my first post. I've been lurking for a few months and have learned a lot. I finished building a pond about 10 miles NE of Mineola this summer between Quitman and Hainesvile. Not much water yet but I'm hoping yesterdays rain helped. I'll know next weekend. It's amazing how small a world it is.

Hello bbergami and welcome to Pond Boss. Congratulations on your new pond! Post some photos when you get a chance.

Wow bbergami we really are practically neighbors.
My place is less than 5 minutes from Hainesville, Texas.
Right now I am only out there about once a month until
I get a house built. I am having an electronic fish survey
done next Monday and I can't wait to see what surfaces from
the depths. Maybe one day all three of us can have lunch
at East Texas Burger.

Gentlemen, let me extend an invitation to come on over to our place. (and then to East Texas Burger) I'm there every weekend. I can show you my 3 year old pond and the new one, which could be completed this week. bbergami, Mineola got 2.5" of rain yesterday so you may have a bit more water than you thought now.

JHAP I'll try to get some photos together and start a new post.

ZEP I'm just about 2 miles north of Hainesville off CR3250. I'm out there just about every weekend trying to turn an old cabin into something we can spend the weekend in.

Captain1 I'm hoping that rain made a difference. I was pumping well water into it for the last month or two but I'm not getting enough flow to make much of a difference. The pump quit on me 2 weeks ago so now I'm counting on the rain.

I'd be glad to come by sometime and join ya'll for lunch and see your ponds. I have a few more weekends that I need to get the cabin sealed up first.

Thanks Captain, will do that sometime.
I've never even seen the Walmart in Mineola
because I am always on Hwy 80 coming through town.

Ok I am off CR 3270 in a small development with about
6-7 houses on a 17 acre lake. I am real close to the
famous Cross Pines Ranch that I can't afford!
But I like my place alot for 1/10 the price.
Maybe one day I will graduate to Cross Pines.

CrossPinesRanch.com

ZEP That's real close. To be a little more exact...I'm at the NW corner of CR3256 and CR3255. I bought about 15 acres there back in April. The pond will only be about 1.25 acres when full.

Gosh I suppose we are less than ten minutes apart.
Really is a small world.
We'll get together soon.

Great stuff guys. Have a get together, you'll all enjoy it. Make sure you take photos though.

Will do Jeff...this is my best pic from last year!

Wow, so I have to chose a best picture from 2009?

That's quite a challenge.

I think I'll go with this one.