Hello all,

I have been reading the posts for the last several days. I have a few of my own questions I hope someone out there can help.

I have just about 10 acres in New Mexico and would like a small pond. I have a huge river at one end of my property (not adjacent but only about 100-150 feet or so away). I have dug a hole just until I hit water on the far end away from the river, it was about 5.5-6 feet. The hole did not fill up but I didn't dig it any deeper once I hit water. I have read about the Water-Table ponds, is this a viable solution for me?

Until now I thought, just dig a hole and let it fill up, but apparently there is way more to it than that!!

Any suggestions would be appreciated

Welcome to Pond Boss!
First I have to ask what are your goals for your small pond?

Small is a relative term. If small means something like 100' X 100' then a liner may be your answer. If there is good soil in the area it could be lined with clay & hold water fine.

You hit water at 5-6'. Do you think this is the water table? Did you dig through any gravel? Has it been dry in your area or could the water table be up due to alot of rain?

If the water you hit is at a normal level then a pond built in that area could be problematic. Digging deeper could drain the water you hit or possibly, though I would think not likely, fill the hole.

Some of the guys knowledgeable in soils should chime in soon.

NNM, welcome to PB.

by definition, a water table is the first encountered unconfined water below the land surface. water tables are not under pressure (confined). IOW, if you dig a hole to the water table, the water table will not rise into hole. if you dig below the water table, you will have a hole filled with water table water, which could conceivably work as a pond if you have a stable water table. the (subsurface) height of most water tables changes dramatically with the seasons especially out west where you have wet and dry seasons. as such, you really need to evaluate your soils to determine if they can hold water despite the fluctuations in your water table. you might also consider digging a hole (o.k. a pond) and using your shallow water table as a source to keep pond full.

Thanks guys!

"You hit water at 5-6'. Do you think this is the water table? Did you dig through any gravel? Has it been dry in your area or could the water table be up due to alot of rain?"

Neighbors had said the water table was about 6' so my guess is they were dead on. There was no gravel, actually it was a rather easy dig with a shovel. My guess is the water table sits at 6' since we are close to the river, I think. I guess it would rise in harsh rains but from the sounds of the old timers in the neighrborhood 6' is where it is.


"you really need to evaluate your soils to determine if they can hold water despite the fluctuations in your water table"

How would one evaluate the soil to test for pond quality soil?

Sounds like maybe I should call a pond outfit and ask for advise, that might be the best solution. I just don't want to dig a dry hole or flood the farms. Is it possible to dig a "pond" and have the water overfill as to flood the surrounding land???

Thanks for the replys!
Bear with me here, these might be dumb questions but something I gotta know!

----- Oh yea ------
I am thinking about 1/4 acre for size.

no questions are dumb. you want a pond, you want to be a pondmeister, you dont know how to begin. thats one of the reasons this forum is here.

so here is my advice......slow down, review the titles and purchase some of the books offered through PB or other sources (i am not a PB spokesman nor do I receive any $$....but PB is an easy and excellent source for very informative "how to" pond books).

its best to educate yerself some, and then consult the pros. dirt is everything when it comes to ponds, and you need to understand your situation in terms of your watershed, evaporation, run-off, capacity, and drainage.

hopefully, someone less tired than i am right now (verrry long hot day) can point you further in the right direction.

"Dirt is everything". That just about says it all.

I think the best book I've read is "Raising Trophy Bass" by Lusk. Even if you're not interested in bass, it's a great read. I've had to replace my copy several times. Buy it but don't loan it out. I still refer to it when I have it.

If I were going to dig a pond, I would get all of the last couple of years of Pond Boss magazine. I would read everything that Mike Otto had to say. That would cost less than $100 and just might be the cheapest investment you could make.

Also, on a semi monthly basis, the magazine answers questions that I'm still too dumb to know that I need to ask.

nnm, just to mention the word "clay" is worth while. three basic classifications for soil are sand soils, silt soils, and clay soils. there are dozens of variations on those (e.g. silty clay soil, sandy silt soil, etc. etc.). a clay dominant soil is what you need as the substrate in order to construct a successful pond unless you intend on lining the whole thing, than it doesnt matter, but typically using artifical liners is much more expensive.

another line of research you can easily pursue.....i would check with your local county environmental mgmt dept. (or nrcs office?), they can help you locate any soil maps of your area. if you know any farmers, geologists, or decent engineers :rolleyes: you might ask em to take a look at the dirt from the hole you dug.

you could also submit a composite soil sample (collected at several places and mixed together) for testing (somebody on forum here might be able to suggest a fairly close facility for you). the tests could tell you what type soil you have and give you some basic chemistry to give you an idea of what type of water quality you might expect. the thing to keep in mind on that though is the soil sample needs to come from where you expect will be the bottom level (substrate) of your pond (i.e. from test pits)

if you're near a "huge" river sounds like you might be in either the current or geologically recent flood plain, which may or may not bode well for thick clay soils depending on the position of yer property in relation to the river. i would also obtain a local USGS topo map (7.5 minute quad) a close range aerial photo (google), and obtain yer average annual rainfall and evaporation rates to get a start on learning about yer watershed. if you dont know how to read or interperate your maps and pics, and if you do get a consultant, you'll be ahead by having that info, and not having to pay the consultant to do so.

but as mentioned above, get some books and old PB magazines (get a subscription if ya dont have one yet), and attempt to learn from some of this other info first and you'll definitely be on the right track

alot of the above may or may not sound daunting to you, but ask yourself what do you want out of your pond? some folks just want a place with water and some fish, they go out and dig and if it holds water, great!, they are happy. others do this and it fails, and they're not sure why. others want to have a premium fishery that will last a long time, to do this, unless you are extremely lucky or just intuitive, you need to research your area, do some careful upfront planning, and set yerself up to succeed.

most importantly, do whats in line with your resources and objectives.

some more of my 2c for what its worth.....good luck, keep us all updated.