Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site Water sources

I'm just about to get started looking for at least 20+ acres in the Brenham/Chappell Hill area of SE Central Texas.

Some of the properties I will be looking at already have some sort of pond, while others don't. I understand there are benefits and drawbacks to each.

But how important is it to have a source of water other than runoff (well or year-round creek)?

Paul,

I would contact your local soil service agency and quiz them about evaporation rates in your area. Also, check with other property owners, that have ponds, to see how much water loss (evaporation) they experience in an average year.
The USDA put out a handbook (I believe its number 590, search the web) that contains useful information for building ponds throughout the USA. The manual listed rainfall tables based on geographic location and suggested depths of ponds along with alot of other useful information.

Having this information will help in determing whether or not a supplimental source of water for your pond would be necessary.

Switching gears but along the same lines. I'd like to channel the runoff from my outbuilding roof into my pond and I'm curious to know if there would be any potential problems. The roofing is standard galvanized, not painted.

Russ

You will definitely get some Zinc/Zinc Oxide (from the galvanizing) and Iron Oxide wash into the pond from the galvanized roofing. Hopefully someone knows whether or not these would be a problem - I tend to think not.

I would not divert runoff from a brand new galvanized roof into a pond because the roofing sheets are impregnated with something akin to "Silicon Spray" when manufactured/shipped. I believe this is done as a preservative or to keep them from sticking together in shipping; I know it makes them very slippery (have the scars to prove it). The "Silicon" stuff neithers smells nor tastes particularly healthy.

After the roof has weathered a while (several months/rains), this stuff is gone. Past that point in time, I don't think you'd have anything run off the roof (other than the zinc/iron oxides) that wouldn't get washed into the pond from any regular watershed.

Paul, most ponds are just accumulated rainfall, those with wells have it made ! If you can find the best of both worlds, ask the owner why he's selling ! Many times the price of a well equals that of the pond, it's not uncommon to pay 10,000 per pond or well. If you're seriously looking, the rainfall in your area has been generous so far this year, skip ANY pond that is not at or near capacity. There is no need for an alternative water source if you have a decent watershed area in Brenham...I can help you with topo maps once you pinpoint an area, that will assist with how your pond accumulates water. A general rule of thumb is that you need 10 to 15 acres of watershed area per surface acre of water.

Thanks fellas.

It now appears that the search area has widened to include the La Grange/Smithville/Bastrop area as well.

Thanks Theo. The roofing has been in place for 4 years now. Metal roofing and scars......sounds like a cocktail to avoid.

Russ