Hey guys,

Knock on wood, if everything works perfectly the next few months I am in love with a 7 acre parcel that has a ~1/10 acre pond (size from google maps).

What should I be looking at when I visit next week?

It's spring fed, would attempting to drain it and rebuild it ruin that spring? Tips?

If I were to keep the pond as is for a few years, would my fish survive if I expanded it?

The pond is completely surounded by dense trees. Anything I should look out for there? (Trimming most of them back would be an immediate task for myself). How far back from the pond should I keep them? Or can I leave some closer?

Other notes:
I may want to put some georgia endangered species in my pond, Could some smart people tell me what from this list is good/bad as far as clams, mussels, snails, crayfish?
http://www.earthsendangered.com/search-regions3.asp?search=1&sgroup=allgroups&ID=132

I cant answer all of your questions but can help with some. Spring fed ponds - it depends on the rate of flow. If the flow is a lot it will prolly need to be diverted away from the pond tell its complete or you ( or digger ) will have a nightmare on your hands. Will my fish survive - Also depends on how much you drain it. I drained mine about halfway for better part of a year and mine did fine. I don't have a large amount of fish in mine like lots of people on here so that might have helped me. Some more knowledgeable people on here might say other wise and I would listen to them. I don't think you will ruin the spring. Also 1/10 ac is getting pretty small so draining most of it would mean a lot smaller and not much area. That would concern me. It can have a good effect as far as the little fish don't have room to hide. Also can have a bad effect as far as the little fish don't have room to hide. The big fish get bigger and the littles go in their bellies. I would look for leaks those can be costly and a problem for lots of people. The main thing for me is do you like it. That's all the really matters in the long run. If you don't like the location or the layout of the land pass on it. There will be a place out there that is right or can be made right for you.

Good luck finding and correctly recognizing and collecting any of those endangered species. Know their habitat required before collecting them. You may just be contributing to their endangered status by messing with them and taking them out of their preferred habitat and then killing them - the opposite of your goals.

If there is room to build a larger pond below it you could use it for a sediment pond.

Is the spring above or below the pond water level? If under, the spring will either give or take water depending on the water table. They can be tricky. If above, is it a flowing or seep spring? I have one small pond that is actually a water level pond depending on how much rain I get and how much the big oak trees around it take. The pigs like to get in it and roll around. By August, it is generally dry and a muddy eyesore.

If it is above water level, good luck on drying it out and expanding.

Good points about the endangered fish. ive got emails out to the local federal wildlife people and the georgia people hopefully theyll get back to me and let me know if this is something I should pursue

Another question to ask them is that IF you are successful, and they acclimate to your pond, will you be able to renovate the pond in 5/10 years if you wanted to, or would the protected/endangered species trump your wish to renovate the pond?