Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Tips for creating a swimming pond

Hello all, I bought a home that came with a large pond (100'X125' X about 35-40' deep) in Michigan. Looks like the previous owner dug it and used the dirt from the pond to bring up the yard around. Because of this, the pond doesn't fill all the way. I'm in the beginning process of having it dug out better, maybe getting a liner to fix this issue unless there's a cheaper fix. I would like to make this a swimming pond with fish and need any advise to make this possible (ex. filter, regenerating filter, creating a deck, where to place filters and pumps design idea with any DIY idea to help with cost or must haves when creating). What are some ideas or things to think about in this process? Thanks in advance

If there are no valuable fish in it now, then pumping it down and getting it dry for examination and repairs would probably be the first step.

If the previous owner was just digging a hole for a dirt supply, then the bottom and sides of your pond probably have little to zero compaction. You might have the proper clay content for an excellent pond if you could just scarify and then compact the bottom and sides correctly.

If the pond did not leak, would you have enough water shed to keep it full? Much easier to have a nice swimming area or pond with a "normal" water level that is fairly stable where you want it.

esshup's link to "natural swimming ponds" is a very good idea in many circumstances.

You do not need to build a 30' tall dividing wall. You could use an excavator to create some long, narrow trenches outside of your current pond boundaries for your plant filter system. I think the longer the flow path of your recirculated water, the better the filtering efficiency. However, a 100'x125' swimming pond is a lot of surface area to filter. That would require a lot of surface area for your adjacent "filter system". Don't know if your property has the room for that, or if your family would like that visual frame.

However, if you have a larger budget, you could build your plant filter system as a series of terraces with cascading water falls if you have a hillside near the pond. That would give it a unique style to create your required large filtering system.

Good luck on your improvements to your new pond and property!

If you want to make it strictly a swimming pond, look at natural swimming ponds. Basically you have to have the same area as the swimming area in natural plants so they can filter the water. https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/outdoor-spaces/pools-and-water-features/natural-swimming-pools-101

Other than doing that, if you want to have fish in there, don't put Bluegill or Hybrid Bluegill in there, they will nit at swimmers. If you don't mind the nipping, then anything goes.

Our family and friends swam in our ponds for many years. No special planning except a floating dock with a fold-up ladder so it would not get algae covered. Many good memories made there. Plugging the leaks is a tougher issue that takes some investigation and probably some trial and error.