Pond Boss Forums INTRO New Forum Member Introduction New here and want a pond in S.C.

Just bought 6.3 acres and want a 1-1.5 acre pond. Have a very small creek in back from run off. Land slopes down towards the back end, then comes back up sharply. Good deep end? Anyone here know about ponds in mid SC? Very clay soil down deep, should hold water good. Wonder about how long would a 1.5 (200 x 300) acre pond take to fill up. Want a shallow swimming area and deep end about 10 feet. Hoping I can mainly damn up creek and let er fill with a little dam work. Then start stocking!

Well, you are in the right place, but definitely spend some time planning and have plenty of patience. Buy the book offered here "Perfect Pond, Want One?" which is a great guide to the dream of building a great water hole and what kind of things can happen good and bad along the way.

The best thing you can do is hire an experienced pond builder to get the job done. This will result and the best possible outcome with the right person.

Some states have regulations against messing with a creek. Check into your states' regulations to see what you can and cannot do.

There is a process to go through if you want to impound a creek on your property. How complicated the process gets depends on the location of your property, how large the creek is, how much watershed it drains. SC can be tough to get permits allowing what you're after. Contact your local NRCS office and have someone come look at your site. From there they can point you to the next step(s) the process. If the topography is such, may be able to fit one in without actually impounding the creek. Good luck and be patient!

Thanks for the input, I'll look into that book. I downloaded the USDA 590 book. I'm in Afghanistan right now, will be home soon and will get with the DNR about the creek and my pond. I've lways wanted a wind mill for something. Sounds like guys are using those for aeration? Sounds like a good idea. What kind of pump is it turning? Any old water pump?

Thank you for your service and stay safe over there!

Windmill aeration isn't the most reliable. Typically on hot calm or overcast and calm days you need aeration the most. But, it's better than nothing. You can push air a LONG ways in a buried pipe.

Well I got the book, Perfect Pond... but man, its more for lakes builds really? And a really advanced book, anything out there for a first timer with a small 1-2 acre pond? This book is a little intimidating. I barley got it before I leave Afghanistan, will be reading it on the journey home. I did some rainfall research, and looks like we average 48" a year in SC. Wondering how long it would take to fill a 1 acre pond, with a "average" depth of 6 feet. Will be shallower (3 feet) in some areas for swimming and deeper (10-12 feet) in some areas for catfish. My land slopes down towards the back, then turns sharply up. So, it aready has a "natural dam" of ten feet! So rain water ought to run into this pond very well. As well as a run off creek possibly running through it. Any thoughts?

Keep reading as much as you can here too. When you can't find what you are looking for, ask. Lots of great people here to help with ideas.

Thank you for your servece.

Your welcome, I enjoy serving my country, what other job provides beautiful distinations such as Kandahar? Going to a lake as soon as I get home literally! On topic now, can anyone here give me a proximate time on how long it would take fill a 6 feet average depth by 1 acre pond in SC that gets 40" of rainfall a year? Just want a SWAG. I dont know if I'm looking at a couple months, six or a year? Is there a certain time of year to fill a pond? Dirt here is very clay'ish, and red. So should hold water pretty good. And surrounding land runs downward to where I want the pond. With a steep hill, 10-15 feet, that comes up sharply at the back of the land. Does anyone here know of anyone who does ponds around Columbia, SC? My land is outside Ridgeway, on Hwy 34, in Kershaw county. I'll send some pics soon. Thanks.

It all depends on the weather. If a hurricane rolled thru the area and dumped a lot of rain, it could fill up overnight. It's all dependant on amount of rainfall, and amount of watershed that feeds the pond.

My neighbor finished his pond, and within 2 weeks it was running over the banks. If someone dug a pond this Spring around here, it would still be pretty much empty due to the drouoght.

Whoa, another Pond Boss member stuck in Kandahar.....small world.

Especially since I am headed home very soon too.

Pond filling time depends on many factors such as if you hit a spring or not, how much runoff area you capture, current weather patterns, etc.

My excavator didn't think our pond would fill until April/May after digging last October. It filled by December, only 3 months after digging. 16 acres of runoff into a little more than half-acre pond will fill it quick when you actually have enough rain for runoff.

As far as swimming, you will most definitely want more than 3 feet in any swimming areas. When the pond lowers by a foot or more in dry summer weather, you may be looking at a dry bottom just when you want to use it the most. Plan on a gently sloped side that extends down to 10 feet or so, and then you should almost be guaranteed swimmable water depth. Or if a gentle slop is not an option, build a dock and ladder to reach greater depths and avoid walking the muddy bottom.

Shannon, my favorite is "Raising Trophy Bass" by Lusk. It's about a whole lot more than bass.