It all depends on the soil type and what your plans are for the pond. 3:1 is pretty steep for walking down and mowing in our sandy soils, I probably will be re-contouring a few ponds so the above water shoreline is more in the 4:1-5:1 range.

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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).