Thanks again to you all! This community is an amazing resource for someone in my position.
I’ll continue with my due diligence on finding the right contractor. I’m meeting with one tomorrow who uses a vibrating sheepsfoot and typically digs a core trench around the whole pond (that sounded like overkill to me). I’m just hoping his quote won’t be astronomically higher than what I have so far.
Regarding the beach, we have a large extended family and will regularly be hosting gatherings with 20+ kids playing in the sand (plus adults), so the beach is a must for our purposes and will get lots of action.
Teehjaeh: wow, what a generous offer! I’d love to take you up on it, and will be happy to provide whatever feedback on the results would be helpful. I’ll get in touch with you when we’re a little closer to the dig.
I did connect with Scott over the phone last month, and he was extremely helpful on many topics. I plan to work with him on stocking when the time comes.
One other topic/question that has come up from my contractor discussions: would you all recommend for or against using a spillway instead of an overflow pipe? One guy recommended that so I don’t have to deal with pipe problems from freezing/thawing. Another thought it would be fine as long as the spillway area was well-compacted and covered with stone. The third said it’s a bad idea because the ground will be soggy. With only about 6-acres or less of watershed, I don’t know how often to expect the overflow/spillway to even be used.
