Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking newbie needs lots of advice!

Yes, clay can be moved from another area for the pond. But, you might have to move a LOT of it. One piece of equipment you should have to compact the clay is a sheepsfoot roller. Another thing is that the clay has to have the correct moisture content so it knits with the layer beneath it. You can't just pile in the clay, drive over it with a dozer and expect it to hold water. It really should be spread out in a 6" thick layer, rolled with the sheepsfoot roller, then another 6" of clay spread, rolled again with the sheepsfoot roller to pack it and knit it together with the layer underneath it. Do that 4 times for a total of 24" thick liner of clay and you should have sealed the pond. The clay should extend up past the high water level so the water can't get around the edge of the clay to seep into the ground.

This article has a picture of a sheepsfoot roller in it:
http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G1555

The NRCS agent should be able to tell you if there is sufficient clay in the ground, or if there is clay any other place on your grandfathers land.

Deeper is better. Find out from the NRCS how much water will evaporate from the pond in a year (on the average). Find out from them if there is (and how much) watershed would drain into the pond. The overflow pipe or emergency spillway has to be sized accordingly to handle any excess water. In areas that freeze (like around here), personally I would want 50% of my water to be 10' deep or deeper during the periods of lowest water to ensure that I have enough water and oxygen for the fish.

I may be wrong, but if the water doesn't freeze by you, I would plan to have at least 8' of water depth in 50% or more of the pond at the lowest water level that the pond would see.

A thermocline sets up in deep water during warm times of the year, and beneath that there is little oxygen available for fish unless you aerate the pond with a bottom diffuser.

I strongly suggest that you buy a few books from the PondBoss website on building and designing ponds if you are going to do it yourself. The money spent on the books will be pennies compared to fixing problems if the pond isn't constructed properly.

I'd buy the "Perfect Pond" book and the ones on earthen ponds.
http://pondboss.dsbworldwide.com/store.asp?c=8

If I was close enough to Mike Otto to have him come visit and give me a consultation, that's what I'd do even if I were to be doing the work myself. Nothing beats hands on experience.