Google maps will give you a topographical map of your land that you can use to get an idea of the amount of watershed you have to worry about. With constant water coming into your pond site, your concern is too much water.

If it rains real hard, how bid does your dam and emergency spillway have to be to handle it?

What type of soil do you have? Can you tell the difference between clay and loam, or other variations of soil? It would be a good idea to find your local extention and have them do a soil analysis. Most ag extensions do this for free.

I would think a decent sized dozer in the 150hp range should be able to build your pond for you in a few days to a week. It depends on the amount of trees that need to come out, what to do with them and how dry the soil is.

The biggest mistake people make when hiring a contractor to do anything is to hire the first guy they talk to. The second biggest mistake is to hire a friend or reletive. The third is to hire a guy that a friend recomended.

You might get lucky and the first guy you talk to is an expert with the skills and work ethic to do the job right, but you might not. You really need to talk to at least five contractors at different times. One a day type of thing and spend the time picking there brains. Don't tell them what so and so will do, but find out what they will do and why. What you will find out is that at least one of them is clueless. If your lucky, you'll also find out who's unreliable, doesn't listen and is hard up for cash.

The biggest thing that I've come across when hiring contractors is how they lie about hours worked. Be very, very careful in your contract with them to only pay them for hours worked, and then keep track of it. Do this on a daily basis and you won't have any problems. If not, I've seen them charge for repairs, breaks, runs to town and drive time to the job. At $100 an hour, this can realy add up to allot of money for work that's not being done.

Good luck,
Eddie

Lake Marabou http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=139488&fpart=1

It's not how many ideas you have, but how many you make happen.

3/4 and 4 acre ponds.