I am trying to build a 1.2 acre pond near Watkins Glen, NY but have to get past the DEC and am still looking for a reputable builder in this area. I have done the topo mapping and laid out the perimeter and a map of the pond depths, have calculate the total volume of earth to be moved, have had the Soil Conservation folks on site (ApA soil type "areas provide excellent pond sites” according to the National Cooperative Soil Survey). I have dug 7 test pits, all good. I have started discussions with the NY DEC and have gotten past the first two hurdles (not a wet land and doesn't feed any controlled waters) and have designed the dam so it is less than 6 ft (5.6) and does not fall under Dam Safety regulations. Unfortunately, I will need a Store Water Discharge permit since it will disturb over 1 acre of land. I have talked with 4 excavators (one wouldn't even consider because it is over an acre and one didn't have experience working with Storm Water Permits (SWPPP). I am working through the 65 page permitting document but IT WOULD BE GREAT if someone has done this before and has a good template for building a pond this size or larger in NY. I also need recommendations for good pond builders in the Finger Lakes region that might be willing to come to Watkins Glen. Any suggestions are appreciated... PS. I don't know why Bob would say NY would be a good place to build a pond!
Haven't updated this for a few months so I thought I might. The guys I hired brought a D6K and a D6T along with an excavator and roller and did the majority of the work in just over 3 weeks. As I mentioned in another post, we hit some veins of gravel/sand that leaked (water came in), so they did their best to not dig into these areas and I purchased 2 tons of bentonite and mixed it into 6" of clay at a rate of 2lbs/sf. I used this to "patch" over any areas that were dug slightly too low and this stopped >95% of the leaks. Overall, the pond is about 1' shallower than planned, a little over 8' instead of 9' as hoped, and we extended out some of the shallow spawning areas, but I think we maybe did OK.
We have gotten periodic rain but are in somewhat of a drought. This has made it possible to keep working. I put in some gravel areas and some topsoil for water lilies in the shallow areas. I have posts in the ground for the dock and am working of the spillways, inlets, and the beach.
I had put in over 450' of silt fence and a construction entrance, and the Department of Environmental conservation stopped by and talked to the construction crew; they seemed happy with what we were doing and didn't make a stink.
If rain holds off for another week then we should be ready to fill the pond when it does come.
I have included pictures of the entire pond, the "west end" with some structure, and the submerged island, and unfinished dock (I still have questions about how high above the water the dock cross-members have to be to avoid ice damage).
You might get some intelligence/direction from Professor Mark Cornwall at SUNY. He is a teacher of fisheries and a frequent contributor in Pond Boss magazine.
