Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations New pond design review

I would like some feedback on the attached pond design that i have done for our property. I had a contractor come out and give a quote just by looking at the area a couple of years ago, but i wanted to produce some actual design so i know what i'm getting.

The pond shown is 3.7 acres surface area. Good clay under the alluvial layers in the area and didn't hit any rock in the augering. Primary purpose will be for LMB/Bluegill fishery.

My questions that I am still not sure on are:
1. What should I specify as the compaction rate on the dam outside of the 6" lift requirement that I am showing.
2. Do i need to show a valve on the vent so that i can drain down more easily if need be? Same question on the outlet side?
3. I've shown some "tabletops" down near the dam that i can put structure on for holding fish. Given where they are, i'm not sure if they would be used by the fish or not, just trying to create more useful area.
4. As you can see, i've got about 25% of the surface area in 6' or less water, about 35% in 8' or less, but i'm wondering if I'm digging out too much in the north end of the pond.

Any other suggestions are appreciated.

Any comments are appreciated.

Also, please let me know if i need to move this thread to another catagory.

Are you afraid of too deep pond? Why? Such depth will help your fish to feel good in drought period.

I don't think so. What is the water clarity of any other ponds in the area? If light can get to the bottom of the pond, then weeds could grow. So, I think a little more depth is better than not enough depth. If the bloom is good, then anything deeper than 48" shouldn't grow weeds.

As for compaction rates, I don't know. A valve on the siphon will give you more leeway in draining the pond down if needed.

Thanks for the input. I guess my concern was that i was creating too much deeper water and not having enough shallow water for the fish.

Sounds like better to err on the deeper side.

Can the light penetration be helped by fertilizing? Other ponds in the area have good color, but I don't know what their management practices are.

Yes, but don't fertilize willy nilly. Around here, it takes plants a couple of years to find a pond on their own (or with help from nature). Build or buy a secchi disk, learn how to use it and keep records. The more fish that are in the BOW, the less need for fertilizer. Also, if you plan on feeding, the food gets turned into fertilizer.

The "P" in N-P-K is the component that governs plants, plankton and algae growing in the pond.

I suggest the archives as a good place to look for info. Try this one for :

Fertilization

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=96127#Post96127