Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site South Louisiana Pond Pics

For some time now I've been enjoying the pictures that all of you have added to the forum. The pond construction pictures absolutely amaze me because the process appears to be so different between south Louisiana and other areas of the country. I've got to admit, if I had a choice I would definitely choose somewhere other than southern LA to construct a pond. As you all know, we live on silt that has been deposited from the Mississippi River over thousands of years. The land is extremely low in comparison to sea level, and thus the water table is not very deep. All of this contributes to the method used for "digging" ponds in this area. I see plenty pictures that ya'll post and your construction sites look extremely clean and dry. This is definitely not the case here. Here's some pictures of my small pond that were taken over the last couple years.

A few more pics...

Very nice.

There's no dam way that pond can hold water!

Thanks wickedinhere. Theo, down here we have a luxury called the water table to help it stay filled. It really drops during drought times though. I've been waiting to get a well drilled for over a year now. The only company that will drill in this area is extrememly busy (or so they say).

Limb Bream states:
...but in the end, they are all slices of the same heaven. Nice construction pics with a beautiful ending.

Great pictures. Thanks!

Get out dat pirogue boat and glide around the pond !!

It may have started out as a mess but the end result is very very nice.

Thanks for the comments everybody! We're on the same page ewest...or maybe I'll use the push pole!

I guess constructing the pond is only have the battle, or is it work, or is it fun...Anyway, I'm looking forward to my second attempt at growing some decent fish that my family and I can enjoy for years to come. I would be absolutely lost with out this forum. Keep up the informative and humerous posts everyone.

Here's a rundown of my first fish attempt last year: Small pond + droubt conditions (low water level) + no aeration = DEAD FISH. I now have aeration but I am STILL waiting on the well to be drilled (for emergency times). Hopefully this attempt will be more successful than the first.

LIVE AND LEARN!!!

Do you plan on running your well water through a pressure tank?

If you do it will open up a bunch of alternative aeration sources.

I'm thinking that I will, but it really comes down to what the well drilling company offers to install. I don't know much about water wells, but the few I've seen for home use all had the pressure tanks.

Bruce, is this a situation that I could use your circulation method of aearation?

Yes, that's exactly why I asked.

What will the surface area of the pond be? I believe it is possible to make a smaller pond virtually "die-off proof".

Nice job and great pictures. Looks like it's always been there!!!!

Thanks,
Eddie

Looks like your water cleared right up. I live in South LA too, but I hit clay, and it made my water permanently muddy. I guess it's going to be a fight to get it as clear as yours.

Do you know if your pond's water is rising and falling with the water table? If it is, pumping water into it may be futile.

Thanks for the nice pics!

The pond is 1/4 acre exactly. Die off proof sounds excellent! Tell me more!

You're right, it did clear up right away. As weird as this sounds, I have heard of putting a few sheets of sheetrock into a muddy pond to clear it up. I haven't had any experience with this though.

My pond does rise and fall with the water table, but runoff keeps the water level somewhat higer than the water table. I would like to know more about your thoughts too Bobad.

The sheetrock does work. I've seen it with my own eyes. However, it was soaked, the paper stripped, and the sheets crunched up to gravel size.

If your pond water is communicating with the water table, it could be at a high, medium, or low rate. If the rate is high, no amount of pumping would make the pond level rise. If it communicates at a very low rate, pumping could work, but you may lose 1 gallon back into the water table for every 2 gallons you pump. If you drill a shallow well, you may actually be pumping from the same ground water from which the pond gets its water. Let's hope the leak is very small, and the water table doesn't drop in a bad dry spell.

That makes sense. I guess the only way to know for sure is to try it out??? I'll be sure to tell the well driller to drill deep. That is, if I can ever get them out there to do the work.

Limb Bream,
I sure like the look of the grass growing right to the edge of the water. Reminds me of some of the ponds where I lived in south Texas, years ago.
I agree with Bobad, pumping sounds good but it is difficult when you are part of a larger water system. My pond is in a similar situation. It was filling before the digging was finished. Rain finished filling it quickly then when we went into the dry season all water that was higher than the ground water slowly receded to ground water level, plus I lose 1/2" a day to dehydration. If I knew then what I know now, I would have built a pond almost exactly as yours, with the banks at or near ground level.

Thanks Rad. It looks nice right now, but when the water dropped about three feet during a long dry spell last summer it gave me a real whoopin' cutting the grass down to the water level with a push mower. That's a real efficient way to get heat stroke!

There is a man and wife that have an offshore helo company near the Tx. coast in flat, nearly marsh area. He had a pond built and a windmill put right at the shore of the pond. Sounds lake a similar situation as yours. It stays pretty much full. Always a good breeze and no trees to stop it, though. Let the grass grow. When is is covered with water, it will harbor critters to feed the fish. I know it can get pretty unsightly in a hurry, though. There are much cheaper glyphosate herbicides than roundup. 2-4-D is another option.

LB,
Have you concidered drilling your own well?I drilled one in central texas in my back yard .Took me about 2 days&went down 90 ft with a one-man drill rig.All in all it was really pretty easy.If your interested let me know.

Tom, I thought about attempting it a few months back, but then opted not to. I have very limited knowledge about it and wouldn't want to start something that I couldn't finish.

A few questions:
1. Do you own your own drilling rig
2. Was it complicated to do?
3. What was the final cost?

LB, if you'd like I can contact my well man and see if his father is close to you. The family business is located in southern LA and the son charged me 3K for the first 200' with a 4" casing and submergible pump plus pressure tank. My well totaled 4K after the additional 40' and tested at about 30 GPM. If the apple didn't fall far from the tree the old man would do a great job.

That would be great! I really appreciate it. I'll send you a private message with my address.