drz how about starting your own thread for your question, its unlikely to be found buried in four pages of this thread.
Tororider what are you going to do with the spoils from the pond, and how many yards do you think are going to be excavated? If the contractor needs to move the dirt any kind of distance the price will double.
$1-$2 per yard is a good price up here, with about $1 for digging and another $1 for moving the dirt.
