Here we go with a new topic for the week.
I have learned so much traveling through this forum.
My main entry in "Starting the Dream" under pond construction. I have a couple of new pictures to post there.
My second and third venturse were "Yellow Perch Questions" and "Catfish and What" in the selecting fish section.
Now I have questions about constructing some type of marsh area. My land slopes downward from south to north at 15:1 drop or so. The ponds will be maintained by a gravity fed water from a well and a small amount of surface run off. There are about 6-8 acres of watershed which I know is small and for that reason I will have the well in place, however, the 6-8 are sloped to run any runoff water into the basin of the main pond. Since 2-3 of the acres is crop land and fallow at this point, I am concerned about sediment washing into the pond. Also, I would like a small area for creatures who might not survive well with the fish predators.
I would list the reasons for the marsh as
1. Control sediment
2. Provide additional and safe area for frogs and other small creatures.
Above the marsh, eventually the fallow land will be hay and following Dan VanSchaik's advice, I will put in a strip of vegegation as a buffer zone and to break of the edges from the hay production.
The marsh will stretch across the top of the pond site. I have initially set the width at 8-10 feet which is the size of the dozer blade. The length will be 200-300 feet long. Excess water will be moved via overflow into the forage ponds hopefully after the sediment has been allowed to settle out.
Tapping into your collective geniusness please help me with the design.
1. How deep should it be?
2. Should one side be deeper than the other side
3. Should the entry side for water be sloped?
4. Should the exit side be a deep cut or shallow slope?
5. Should the marsh be riprapped? I have more than enough rock.
6. Is 8 feet wide enough to filter water.
7. What vegetation is used in a marsh type setting?
8. Should I stock some minnows?
9. Do I need to worry about birds eating the animals or just include them as part of the wildlife system?
Any suggestions and inputs are tremendously welcome. We will not be digging it for a month so I have plenty of time.
I am sure after several responses, I will have more questions but this is a good start.
