I built my ponds on the top of the hill so I have very little watershed. Chalk it up as mistake number 135 out of too many to count. Anyway, the well has to run about a lot to keep the ponds full which as many can guess is expensive (not too expensive compared to the other mistakes).

I have about 2 acres of watershed above the ponds, sloping down at 1 ft per 12 ft. I am thinking if I built diversion ditches, (swales) to harvest water and move the water, the harvested runoff could significantly help my well running problem. Above the ponds the land is 300 ft wide and 200 ft long.

The ditches would collect runoff and be sloped fast enough to move water along the contour of the land down to the fishing pond but gentle enough grade to allow some of the sediment to fall out. At the end of the run I would build a small basin to hopefully allow the rest of sediment to fall out.

Any ideas, advice etc...
1. spacing between ditches to maximize water catch, every 100 ft, 50 ft?? digging by hand so don't kill me!

2. Should I line the ditches over lay them with clay and tamp down? I don't want water draining out bottom of ditch.

3. How wide and deep?

thanks

13 acres,
5 ponds 1 still working
FHM, Shiners, CC, SMB, WE, Yellow Perch
living the dream




Can't have everything...where would you put it?