Great to find this site.

I'm planning to construct a new pond and need all the advice I can get since I've never done this before.

My land lays well with a ravine directly down the center. The soil is primarily a thin layer of topsoil over Kaolin and red clay. The sides of the ravine are approximately 30deg so I plan to remove the trees/stumps, topsoil and then compact and build a dam.

With regards to the water overflow, my father constructed a pond about 30 years ago and used the method where a horizontal corrugated pipe is laid under the dam with a vertical leg that sets the water level and drains overflow. The pond had an emergency overflow with riprap for flooding conditions.

Since I want to use my dam as a road to access the other side of the ravine I was thinking about the same system except with concrete pipe and a manhole configuration for establishing the overflow/ water level. I can't say I have ever seen this done. Has anyone on this forum installed or seen this type system. Much of what I have seen here and surfing the net is a more active overflow spillway where I am not sure how that works when the dam is also a road.

I have found a good source on Craiglist for projects with extra 24" concrete storm water pipe and manhole unit for the horizontal to vertical transition. I figured I'd weld a cage over the top to insure any floating debris wouldn't clog the drainage.

Any thoughts on where I am heading? I have my own track equipment and since my property was a clay mine I have plenty of material onsite for the dam. Does anyone know if Koalin clay is better to seal or should I use red clay?

Thanks,