ga pond rookie has E-Mailed me some questions that a mere dumb yankee can't properly answer, compared to local Southern experts.
(I don't know nuthin' but "HOW 'BOUT THEM DAWGS?").

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your mention of lake pee wee sounds just like my site-----i am getting varying opinions on it----now both contractors say they would core from one hillside around the bottom edge to connect to the other hillside---after getting a better topo if i cut a couple of diversion swales to add drainage i can get up to about 75 acre drainage---looking at about about a 3 acre pond ---3ft in shallow areas up to 12 foot in deepest part---maybe average 6 to 7 foot-
I think coring the entire bottom from hillsides at one end to the other is the way to go. A 25:1 watershed:pond ratio would be plenty in Ohio, especially if grassland made up a decent part of the 75 acres. How about in GA? Depth extremes and average sound good to me.

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---what would you try if this doesn't keep enough water in dry months? drill a well for the pond or would you pump from the same well as the house you build providing water pressure good?---from all indications the water table is pretty close down where i'm talking about building it---also the creek is only about 30 - 40 yards below where i'm talking about the dam being---thinking of having them dig a test hole beside the creek to see if it fills naturally with water---good idea? anyhow i also plan on using that hole and a temporary pump to help fill the pond this fall-----
I think the probable situation is if the dam holds water, level drop from evaporation in the Summer will not be too bad. Again, local info will be better.

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on a side note--a retired nrcs guy came out and for $100 bucks augered about 4 ---- 4 to 5 ft deep holes and told me not to build it there--his "second breath" was he had a couple of large acreage pieces of land for sale that had "wonderful" pond sites on them---both contractors however say the soil in that area usually is excellent for building and that he didn't test nearly deep enough as they will have to excavate a pretty good bit to get the core and dam on the low side---they also say they have seen several ponds go where this guy said they wouldn't and don't consider him very reliable---one of the contractors i have have a quote from i have extreme faith in-- but he is expensive---still am leaning towards him --have seen one similar he built but it is creek fed. he quoted me $20,750 for complete project including grassing, liming, etc. was going to put 3 ton ag lime per acre before i filled it. sound about right???---understand from other ga pond owners on this site that mid-ga needs a good bit of lime. am i on the right track here? also any other advice?
Beware Real Estate Agents bearing gifts. \:D

IIRC liming is pretty SOP around you.

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i plan on removing stumps and all from bottom and adding back fish attractors to let them compact the soil as good as they can. would you just put brush tops ---i was thinking of making a few "stake beds" by driving pvc into bottom of pond--also making a few gravel beds for spawning----maybe some artificial trees using plastic bucket--drain pipe with holes and pvc thru those (like the guy did on the pond boss site)---any better suggestions?-----thanks for you time ---it's important to me to get this right.
I'd talk stump removal ahead of time with whatever excavator you end up using. I had a walk-through with my excavator of the site of my next pond (2007 project if all goes well). This site is about 1/2 wooded. Based on the size of the trees and his equipment, he told me to leave the trees intact (rather than cutting them down ahead of time as I had been thinking) because he could bulldoze them out of the way easier if they were left whole.

"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
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