Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam Do I need a Dam???

I live in East Central IL. and am planning on digging a 1 acre and have been searching all sources on the planning and how to....
My question is this... Do I need a Dam with a overflow pipe or spillway???
I was born and raised fishing farm ponds, gravel pits and interstate pits... And "most" of them I have fished are just a hole dug out with equal sides and no incoming surface water, and no dams or overflows/spillways... They just rely on the "water table" or "underground springs" and have the same level year round and very clear. Our water table is 2ft. under and the soil is clay down to 8-10ft.
I am hoping to just build/dig a simple farm pond for fishing with 2ft. slopes down to the water with no run off being introduced (outer bank will go away from the pond and surface water will go away/around.... And with "No Dam" or "No Spillway"...
(May have a small "lower" area with large rip-rap/rocks for run off of rain water that falls into the pond if needed)
I would greatly respect any replys on this topic and question and Thank you all for your time and this GREAT SITE!
"Farming4Fish" (Brad) and can email me at Farming4Fish@insightbb.com and I will also be watching for any reply's.. Thank you again, Brad.

Brad,

I'm not an expert but since all the experts are busy doing pond stuff, here is layman's reponse.

Basically two types of ponds, excavated and embankment.

Embankment is where you dam up watershed or creek to catch runoff, excavated is where you dig a big hole.

Publication #590 on the the USDA/NRCS website details the building and design of ponds. It will give you a good general overview of pond construction and hydrology. I believe someone attatched a link to the publication in a previous post, so if you search the site for USDA 590 you can probably find it.

Good luck.
Pedro

Good luck.
Pedro

Thank you Pedro and I will check it out plus keep on watching for more posts/replies to this question. Thank you again, Brad.