I haven't decided if I will be constructing the pond myself or not. I thought about renting the equipment to do it, but I am nervous I won't be able to do a good job with construction. In my job I work with dirtwork contractors building projects I designed, but I don't have experience running heavy equipment. As much as I would love to learn to run an excavator, I am leaning towards hiring somebody for the dirtwork.
I planned to use, or have somebody use, an excavator for excavation and fill and sheepsfoot attachment for the excavator for compaction.
By the overall sound of it, I think you might want to consider hiring one of those guys you work with. Pick one that seems to listen to you, does a good job, and you get along with. Even if you rent equipment for them to run it, pay them by the hour, you probably will be better off. Unless of course you want to do it yourself for the "fun of it", but don't expect it to be right when its done(takes a long time to learn how to run equipment 'well') and it might even cost more.
On the settling ponds I can't give any help. I only have very limited experience with doing some for myself. It seems like you would need to clean them out once in a while. At least that's what happens to me. Considering that, it would affect how they are built too. I suppose it all depends on a lot of variables.
