Here's some more tips. Projections suggest the dirt moving will cost something less than $20,000. Knowing that area, I believe it. Advice/tip #1: Budget $25,000 for building the dam. There are almost always "unknowns" when a bulldozer starts moving dirt. Expect it, even in areas of such good soil as what you have.
Tip #2: As soon as you can, with a laser level/transit, whatever you can get, shoot and flag the water line all the way around the lake site.
Tip #3: Visualize the lake as a horizontal plane and judge its configuration, shape and the amount of shallow water you have. Shallow water = lots of maintenance issues. If you have more than 5% of the periphery that will be less than 3 feet deep, you'll have aquatic plant issues that will be frustrating. Now is the time to identify that and do something about it. (Unless aquatic plants for waterfowl is part of the plan...if it is, plan for it now.)
Tip #4: Keep in mind that your earthmover is focused on his primary job...building a structure that is engineered and designed to impound water, retain water and release excess water in an orderly fashion. In other words, he's in charge of building a dam and spillway sufficient to manage water. Inside that dam will be a living, breathing entity that we be your "lake". That's a totally different mission.
Tip #5: Knowing that you have two missions, building a dam and building a lake, focus time and energy designing habitat based on your goals. If you don't several years down the road you'l wish you did. If you need help designing that habitat, ask those who know...do that during this planning phase. If your mission is to create a bass lake, learn all you can about bass habitat and what the forage fish need to support the bass, too. Create habitat for ALL species you wish to manage or attract.
Tip #6: There is a lot more to learn, based on your overall goals. Seek advice about those other goals. Know the region of the world. Des Arc is rice country, not far from a river, right in the midst of a major flyway of waterfowl, both beneficial and invasive birds such as cormorants. Design your lake with these factors in mind, too.
