Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site If you have two natural lakes near by?

I did buy that 70+ acres (needs to be surveyed) parcel with rolling hills and hardwoods that has about 1500LF of lakeshore on a 50acre 20ft deep lake. The property has about three low areas that could be pond sites. One requiring damming the other two just excavation.
(Just in case you didn't catch my other thread, I can't use the lake at this time because a bait dealer has it permited)

In this type of situation, (I know I'll know more when I start digging test holes after the frost is out), do you need to seal everything or can you allow the 20' of depth from the natural lake to push your pond full? Soil here varies from spot to spot, clay, gravel, sand, mix.

In otherwords, can you have a combination, dig / dam pond or is there no such thing? My guess it is all a matter of elevations? If it isn't sealed the water level will never stay higher then the lake elevation. (Note there is a larger lake across the road as well.)

I am also confused by my soil reports as well if someone is willing to help me understand the PDFs send me an email at this handle at yahoo dot com, and I'll send you a PDF of them.

Thanks much everyone.

BTW: I do subscribe to Pond Boss, what books should I also buy. PM or email me.

Went back out to the site yesterday afternoon to take some pictures. It was in the low 40s and the snow was melting a little and it rained over the weekend, so there was frozen water on the low areas, so you could actually see where the low areas are. OH boy am I excited. I really do not have any place that is going to require much if any dam. My big project will really only require me to remove topsoil and add bentonite to help seal the mish mash soil we have here.

It will be a Y shaped pond with steep banks on one side and gentle slope on the other. Need to play with the sat photos but I would guess it is going to be about 6 acres. Going to get lakeshore management out to the site and see if they are going to give me any grief given parts of it will be within 1000ft of the natural "lake". But, I am not be affecting the lake watershed at all. Only worry that I may not have enough watershed for 6 acres, but I can always steal some water from the big lake, to at least help get it filled in the spring of 08.

Wow, congratulations on the new place. That has got to be exciting and the best Christmas gift ever. Good luck. Post pictures. Do you plan to live on this site? Sounds like it would make a great home site. I hope they let you dig that close to a lake. Far as I know they will unless they think it might harm the lake in some way. When it comes to stocking I can guarantee the DNR will only let you stock whatever is indigenous to those area lakes. They are always afraid that high water will let some of your fish loose. Keep is informed how it goes. Hey if you are anywhere near the Glenwood area there are a few of us who would sure like to know what's up with Prairie Restorations company. I'd like to buy some stuff from them but can't get anyone to call me back. Goofy way to run a business.