Originally Posted By: Bob-O
Setter, when I built my pond I cut 55gal drums into sections about 8"s. I'd read that they prefer 2-4' depth so that is where I placed them with about 5"s of gravel in em. I also put one or two basketball sized boulders near them. Found out that I have a ground water level pond and the water level varies from 20-30'. I've had good recruitment from the first spring I put the SMB in. Last yr when I came back from Fl in early May I found one bedding in about 10"s of water on my sand beach. Got a feeling you will have enough of em.

I have the exact same problem with my SMB beds. I put them at various depths because I wasn't sure about what I was doing. Now I have a pond that fluctuates about three feet. Right now the SMB beds are near the surface, or already exposed.
Fortunately or unfortunately, my pond base has a lot of rock mixed in with the clay. I suspect there's lots of places for them to spawn, if they want to. Of course, all that rock has more than likely contributed to my small leak..

12 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (decreasing), SMB, and HSB (only two have been seen in 5 yrs)
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023.