Hi Everyone,

I have searched and read all the great responses from this forum. I have come to the point where I believe I need some guidance on specific questions.

Here is a brief understand of my project. I bought 5 acres of property just north of Carencro Louisiana at the St. Landry parish line. I want to dig a pond that I estimate will be 1.25-1.5 Acres when I am done with it. I do have some clearing of the tree line and clearing on the property but it’s mostly cleared where I want the pond because it was a cow pasture. I have a soil test being performed next week. Please see my questions below and I appreciate everyone’s time in responding.

1) I have (I can count more than 10 that I have called) and will continue to get bids. They are ranging all over the place. The hard part is, I won’t need all the dirt so I am trying to find someone that has a dirt pit and can use it to cut my cost down. Is it feasible to believe I can find a contractor that needs dirt like this? I hate to say “going rate” but any of you have suggestions on a budget I can work from?

2) I will be Installing a water well. Even though I have plenty of run off I can use, it’s all cow pastures around me. Is this the right thought process? How high do I need a berm? Do you have some example schematics of slopes and where to put a overflow valve if it’s even needed?

3) I was told to just make a 20’X20’ section of the pond deep (10’-12’) does that sound right? The rest will be 6’-8’ basing off what I have read.

I am sure there will be more but again, I appreciate anyone’s help with this! I have also added a picture. This isn’t to scale but I own all 5 acres and the pond will be built on the back two acres of the property.

-Chris

Chris, the interests of a dirt contractor vs a pond builder would be different although you might find someone with the ideal overlap.

The value of the dirt would depend on the grade of the sub-surface material.

Placement of the overflow would depend on the topography and drainage layout of your property as would berm requirements.

I suggest you discover the grade of your sub-surface material then find a competemt combination dirt contractor/pond builder and work from there.

Thank you for the reply. I will take that route to find out the grade of the dirt.

Really want to get this project moving but some of the quotes I received (I think because as you said, some are just small contractors) have been through the roof!

-Chris

Yep, running dozers ain't cheap. And, a lot of dozer drivers know more about cutting grade and clearing land than they do about pond building.

Drive around the area and look for ponds. Ask who built it, what they might have done differently and whether they would use that guy again.

I am not familiar with where Carencro La is located, but if in the flatlands of La I might think $15,000.00 per acre might be in line with the cost of building a pond. Just from my experience and from what all I have read. And it might take most all of your dirt to build the dam/levy around the pond if its in some flat land and you want a deeper pond.