Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Pond Project!

I finally have my digital camera working and here are a few pictures.








The creek that feeds the pond will fill up to 6' deep, 20' wide and 500' long at spillway level. Now if it would only rain! I plan on building a bridge to the island, planting carpet grass and puting a dock at the end. My island:

I like the looks of the rockpile chain from shallow to deep water off the (island). I wish I had done my rockpiles like that. It looks like it should be great to fish from shore.

PFF

Nice looking pond! That island is gonna be a nice place to kick back and watch the world go by.

Theo- If I could keep my tractor running there would be a lot more. I am still adding rock piles and trying to make the shape of the island work like natural points. I have learned this hobby takes a lot of patience. Although it has only been 15 weeks since it was completed it seems like 15 months without the creek running. I have weather gold from the weather channel and the links to all the nearby NWS radar loops. I can also tell you by 6AM what the rain % is on the new day of the 10 day forecast. I have got the weather bug bad or it has me! I have no Patience :rolleyes:

Russ - You read my mind. Picnic table, barbecue pit and someday great fishing!

PFF,

Very nice.

Are you planning to build a bridge over to the island?

Gator

Gator- Yes, wide enough for my golf cart. Nice carpet grass, put a fishing dock at the end, picnic table, barbecue pit and some comfortable chairs!

That's gonna be one nice puddle!

Ponds :

That's a nice looking pond site. Do you have any shallow (3ft.) flat rocky/sandy areas for spawning ? It looks like there are some rocks around that you could add to the piles. Crawfish really like rock piles. On the island -- you need to add a hammock to nap in as the day drifts by and your barbecue works its magic.

ewest- The problem I am having is I don't know what to expect as far as what level the pond will stay. It only has the creek for water now. The creek gets on some wild runs after a 3" or more rain but I do not expect it to stay at spillway level. There are some good rocky flats in the creek that are 6' at spillway level and if the pond level averages 3' below spillway they will be perfect. This is all new to me and I can't wait to have these problems to work on. I have plenty of rocks on my place I can use to create spawning areas. There is one pile about 6 cubic yards where they cleared the spot for my house. I have natural creek sand also. Maybe later I can afford to drill a good well and keep the pond at a constant level! I got the idea for the rock structure from the marine reef and ciclid aquariums I used to keep. These are not rock piles but smaller rocks or cinder blocks with large flat rocks placed on top to make cave structure.

PFF,

Just give us the keys to our island and we'll all fix it up for you!

I would take the BBQ pit and picnic table across before the water rises. My experience says to chain them to a tree.

PFF,

Looks like a nice spot for a deer blind too. Lets see, you could drive over, park the golf cart, stir up the BBQ, throw out a line and wait for the deer/turkey to show up too!

Best of luck, looks a bit dry where you are at.

Gator

The island trees may not survive the saturation if the pond holds to full level. I hope they do but don't be suprised if they don't. If the worst happens you can always plant bald cypress on the island or a weeping willow. Check out my willow http://www.rockytoppers.com/the_pond.htm it is the first picture on the right under pond construction. This tree was planted 4.5 years ago. it was a seedling from home depot about the size of your little finger. A beaver eat it off at ground level at 2 years old. IT was a 6 inch dia at that time. it grew back like a bush out of the stump. I trimmed all but 3 branches. It is not a tree with three forks. Weeping willows are fast growers but do not live long. I've planted live oaks next to them .hopefully by the time they die the oaks will be nice size 20 years or so. The bald cypress has also grown very fast and will last a lot longer than a willow. The picture on the left center of peir was a 3inch 3 years ago. it's now a 10 inch dia.
good luck it is very nice.

PFF,

Looks great, but I'm like rockytopper, I doubt your trees will survive more than a few years. Good luck.

Rockytopper, I looked at the pics on your site and noticed that you do design work. I have my own engineering business and design industrial machinery in Solidworks. What type of software do you use?

How many sqft is that island. Also, what will be the acreage of the pond once its at normal level?

The island is triangle 80' X 35'. The pond is 1.5 acres at spillway level. I am not sure what the normal level will be. I am counting on 1.1 acres for figuring stocking numbers.