Thanks George, I hadn't read about the soils influence. Maybe I can get the contractor to add some extra clay around the perimeter and possibly compact it more.

Ryan, do you use herbicides for controlling aquatics?

Robo, do you find that the Alligator weed is accceptable on the dry banks? I guess it would be easy enough to kill on the dry areas if you wanted to.

Cheyenne, thanks for the rip rap idea. I wonder if smaller rock would be effective. I want to be prepared for this pond to be 5 feet low at times and smaller rock seems like it would be better material for a bank to fish from. Rock also seems like it would enhance the habitat for some animals.