Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site Capturing Wetlands Water

I need some advice on who to go to in my area about construction of a new pond. I am going to try to purchase a piece of property that is located in some wetlands. I already know I will need at least 2 permits from 2 different State agencies. But before I can apply for the permits, I need to have a draft plan to submit. Also, if this is something that can be done, what would the term I would need to use when I am calling contractors?

The property is a total of 1.06 acres. On it sits about a 1450sq ft home (house was built in 1921, very solid, no record of being flooded, on 3ft-4ft stilts). The property is located in a wetlands/marsh area. Roads and yards flood twice a day during high tide (some areas). When I saw the house the other day, it was during high tide, so I got to see exactly what I'd be working with.

I want/need to figure out how to keep the high tide out of most of the yard. Water rises about 1ft-2ft on one side of the property, then its less than a foot in the back and on the other side. The front yard already slopes to drain into a drainage ditch by the road that was built by the county.

My initial thought is to build a 1/8th acre pond on the side where the tide gets between 1ft-2ft, have it about 6ft-8ft deep. Then have contractors dig to install underground drains to drain the lower tide water from the back and other side yard into the pond. Then, if the pond were to overflow, have the overflow be able to drain directly into the drainage ditch up by the road. Where I am thinking of putting this pond is fairly close to the road already.

I am not looking to adding a fishery. These are protected wetlands and to do so will require more permits and such. So, I just want nature to do its own thing and if native fish find their way in, so be it.

I imagine this pond would not be full all the time since it would fill and drain during the tides. I am also imagining how to keep kids safe. I do not want this pond to be the local swimming hole, so I was thinking for esthetics, I'd add some wetlands grasses inside the pond, and then some aquatic plants around the edges to kind of 'hide' the pond. And then maybe add a rock border to further help the stability of the pond sides.

Have any of you ever heard of doing this in a wetland/marsh area? My goal is to try to keep most of the yard drier, as well as keeping as much water from reaching the base of the house. But I also want to make sure the keep as much of the ebbs and flows of the tides so there is not much disruption of the waters natural flows.

When the tide is out and the yard is dried out, its a beautiful yard. I want a nice grassy yard that isn't muddy or squishy 75% of the time. I also noticed a lot of other properties in the area have ponds of all kinds and shapes and sizes. I wish a waterfall could be installed but the property is totally flat.

I do have pictures of what the yard looks like dry, and wet. Please let me know if I should post them.

Welcome to the forum. That may be difficult. I would start by going to your counties NRCS office which is run by the USDA. I don't know if they are open or closed now. Working in a designated wetland may be more cost prohibitive and lengthy than you want to deal with.

I would make sure that what you want to do is actually permittable and that the cost/time frame is something that you can live with BEFORE purchasing the property.

I am assuming that you mean Cumberland Maine. I have no idea how the jurisdictions work there.

Leah - "But I also want to make sure the keep as much of the ebbs and flows of the tides so there is not much disruption of the waters natural flows."

You should check with a Real estate/environmental attorney first. Most on the forum who know a bit about wetlands are not thinking about the above. While dealing with isolated wetlands (possibly not wetlands under current law) you have one set of laws but while dealing with the ebe and flow of the ocean is entirely different.

No fish means you are going to raise mosquitoes