Pond Boss Forums INTRO New Forum Member Introduction Years of Dreaming

I bought some land several years ago and have been dreaming about my pond ever since. The land is heavily wooded with a live creek that runs about 10 months per year depending on rainfall.

Well, the dream is now hopefully going to come true. I am harvesting timber right now in the area where my pond will be. I have surveyed the water line, and used a planimeter to estimate the pond at about 12-13 surface acres. It will be a long narrow pond with around 3 acres of shallow water. The creek channel is 10 to 20 feet wide and from 6 to 12 feet deep with very, very steep sides. I intend to leave this channel as it is, and get the dirt for the dam from other areas.

I am looking forward to many days of fishing with my grandchildren and friends. Retirement is still a few years off, and if things work out right I should have the fishing hole ready when I retire. The back porch of the house will be looking down on the pond from about 100 yards away, and will probably become my favorite morning coffee spot.

Wish me luck.

Good luck! Make sure you do plenty of research and ask questions before you start. I've got a list as long as my arm of things I wished I'd done differently, due mostly to not finding this website until AFTER my pond was built. There is a LOT of knowledge here, and most folks are more than willing to help.

I've been reading this forum for a few years now while I dreamed. I've also got the local NRCS guy, with over 40 years experience, helping with the design.

Document everything and take lots of pictures. Make sure you date it all too. I'm very interested in your project and look forward to updates.

Lynyrd, welcome aboard. Omaha ain't kidding. Document everything and take lots of pics during the before/during/after phases. SD cards are cheap, and years down the road you'll be glad you did it, believe me. I know because I didn't, and it bugs me til this day.

Edom's in the middle of the little golden triangle of Canton, Athens, and Tyler. That's a very nice area.

Good luck, we look forward to the updates.

Buy this book and follow Lusk's advice


Perfect Pond

Congrats Lynyrd.

It is wonderful to finally realize a dream.

I was listening to Joel Osteen the other day and he was talking
about how people should have very specific visions of
their hopes/dreams. And I actually used to do that.
For years, long before we purchased any property I would
picture myself riding an ATV around my ponds,
picture cabins around a pond..walking in the woods.
I even drew up a map of a pond with cabins around the shorelines.

I am only about 25 miles away from you.
Holla if you need the names of any contractors, ect...

We've already weeded out some local flaky contractors
on our on-going project.

Keep us updated on your project.

Zep, do you have an opinion about James Furrh, the Van Zandt NRCS engineer?

Sorry Lynyrd I am not familiar with him.

Hi Lynyrd,

We have 60 acres just South of Van, not too far from you. We worked with James Furrh, Terry Miller and Trey Rogers of the NRCS office when we planted 33 acres of pines in 2009 under the Equip Program that helped with the cost.

Terry and Trey were younger and did most of the paperwork with us.

They all came out to our property before and after the planting.

I always felt that James, with his 40 years experience, knows more about this part of Texas than anyone I have met. I think you will be well served with his advice.

Keep us posted on your progress. Good Luck.