I appreciate all the fantastic feedback and wisdom here... lots of food for thought.
Using Google Earth for current data was already at the top of my mind, but the suggestion to use it for historical data to get a sense of water level over time is a neat spin on the existing tool. Great idea.
I certainly can envision how an existing pond in need of renovation could turn into a money pit... which I absolutely want to avoid. The testimonies here remind me of that 'ole saying... "You can learn from my mistakes or learn by making your own, but I guarantee mine will be less expensive."
/c
