We have made some changes to the original layout. I have decided not to use Golden Shiners in either pond, relying on fatheads and blunt-nose as the minnows. SMB, WE YP in the main pond, CC, RBT in second pond. With that in mind and construction issues, rather than 3 small forage ponds and a marsh area, we combined them all into a larger marsh (runoff pond) and forage pond. The forage pond is about 100 by 50 feet and the marsh is 50 by 50 attached to the forage pond.
The watershed is small. There are about 5 acres draining directly into the forage pond and couple acres which will partially drain. The forage pond was not built where I wanted it to be built so it sits about 30 feet away from the catfish pond. We will dig in a culvert to move water from the forage pond to the catfish pond. Water will then move from Catfish/trout pond to the main pond based on the same idea. Land slopes downward from pond to pond.
Ponds will be filled from the well. I will someday build a stream from the trench we dug the runs from top of forage pond (where well is) to main pond with gates to direct the water to each pond as needed.
Article in Pond Boss about making streams might be helpful hint hint.
Rock piles are on the list for the next work day.
Jump in with anything else I have missed.
13 acres,
5 ponds 1 still working
FHM, Shiners, CC, SMB, WE, Yellow Perch
living the dream
Can't have everything...where would you put it?
