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Greetings All!
I should have known there was a big site devoted to ponds. Briefly, I'm closing on a 10 acre parcel, adjacent to my brother's 20 acre piece, with the intention of homestead and permaculture.
I have a machine coming next week to dig ponds on both parcels. My original intention was to gather fill for the home and barn and to water animals currently on the tract. My wife, however, is insistent that we plan to stock it as part of the long game.
I am situated in Central Florida with a very high water table. The soil is sandy. I have not completed my soil samples, but I do not believe there are any environment matters. My original intent was to dig a boring 1/2 - 3/4 circular pond. I have only relied on ponds for cattle, which have largely been replaced by solar-driven wells.
My questions are as follows:
1. Can you direct me to designs that are appropriate for supporting fish. There is no urgency with stocking, but I want the initial design to make stocking later feasible. The animals can be moved if "walking down" is a consideration for the design.
2. Is there a minimum acreage and or depth for a successful pond? I'm not sure exactly what fish I will ultimately stock. Blue gill, speck, cats, bass.....no idea.
Its a long term plan. The 10 acres is an empty canvas. No ponds, trees, shrubs....all will be from scratch. We intend to plant a couple acres in trees, an acre or so garden and keep small animals (chicken, rabbits and maybe goats in time.
Thanks for any thoughts or resources you can share.
Best,
Ragnaut
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