Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,901
Posts557,100
Members18,452
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,416
ewest 21,475
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
12 members (PRCS, FishinRod, Boondoggle, esshup, Layne, Dylanfrely, nvcdl, H20fwler, Bing, Fishingadventure, Angler8689, Sunil), 707 guests, and 200 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 86
Likes: 2
T
OP Offline
T
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 86
Likes: 2
I’d like to have an island in the pond I’m planning to dig. I’m thinking about what the slope of the banks should be. I know 3:1 is typically recommended for safety reasons but given it is an island I’d like to go as steep as possible to limit the amount of area available to vegetation.

The pond will be dug out of “near perfect clay” that has been sitting for eons, so structurally it holds really well. I’m wondering what you think the steepest is that I could go. Could I go 1:1 and still have it not slump? Steeper? Less steep? What do you think?

Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 884
Likes: 201
G
Offline
G
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 884
Likes: 201
One question I would have is the proposed island existing dirt, virgin soil, that you will be cutting out from around it, or will this dirt be piled up to create an island?
Virgin soil if left undisturbed will hold up to steeper slopes then you will be able to maintain with dirt that has been worked.


All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,417
Likes: 793
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,417
Likes: 793
I have found that islands are more trouble than they are worth for a pond, and you lose a LOT of water volume in the pond due to the island. Geese nest on it, catfish can dig holes in the bank and spawn, etc., etc.

But to answer your question, I wouldn't consider going steeper than 2:1 slope.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 231
Likes: 10
N
Offline
N
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 231
Likes: 10
If you have any kind of wind wave action, you need to line it with rock. So you need a slope rock will stay on. Waves will wash a couple feet a year from your bank.


61 acre water shed lake. bass, channel cat, black crappie, wiper, walleye, redear sunfish, blue catfish and bluegill. To many bullhead and common carp
http://www.pondboss.com/news/videos/why-subscribe-to-pond-boss
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 86
Likes: 2
T
OP Offline
T
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 86
Likes: 2
Thank you all for your thoughts. Gehajake, yes it will be cut out of virgin soil, so I'm wondering how steep.

Esshup I agree with you that islands can create a lot of headaches. I am hoping I can keep the geese off, as I would like to give the kids something to swim/boat "around". It is also a dugout so I don't have room for the extra soil anyways, so I won't lose any water volume that I could otherwise gain.

2:1 sounds reasonable. I was thinking I could maybe get away with 1:1, but maybe that is too aggressive. I don't think I should have any waves nehunter as you point out, as it is only 1.5 acres in total.

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,417
Likes: 793
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,417
Likes: 793
The steeper the banks are the harder it will be to get vegetation established, and once it is established, how will you mow or trim it? Set up a piece of 4x8 plywood at a 2:1 slope and try to walk on it. Think about if the water drops or does not stay at the same level that you think it will. Set it at 3:1 and check it again. You want the bank above the water line a gentle slope and I'd also make that slope continue down 3-4 foot water depth. Another reason for that is if the banks are too steep below the water line the fish will have no place to spawn. Think about habitat and cover for the fish too, how will you keep it in place if the banks are really steep?

A client has 3:1 slopes and they can't be mowed. The guy that dug the pond didn't know what he was doing and there is about 20-25 feet of 2:1 to 3:1 slope around the whole pond. Where the water level was, the water cut the bank and it's even steeper because it slid into the pond. The weeds are 4' high around the pond and it is unfishable unless you are in a boat, and you can't even see the water because the weeds are so high. Even in a 1/2 acre pond, you will have some wave action and the banks will get eroded.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 86
Likes: 2
T
OP Offline
T
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 86
Likes: 2
Hey esshup, I should clarify that I only mean under water. Above water it will be much more gradual. There will be lots of other areas for spawning with more gradual underwater slopes, so it is really about just keeping cegwtqtion down around the island where nobody can really walk/mow/fish anyways.

Given this info do you still think 2:1 is steepest underwater slope? If it’s only the under water part could I go 1:1?

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,417
Likes: 793
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,417
Likes: 793
I would still make the slope 3:1 until at least 3' water depth, then go as steep as you dare and still not have the dirt slough off and fall to the deepest part of the pond - safety reasons. Fish spawning reasons too - sometimes the fish don't understand where you want them to spawn......


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Working on a .5acre disaster, I mean pond.
by Boondoggle - 03/28/24 06:28 PM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by esshup - 03/28/24 06:23 PM
Fungus infection on fish
by nvcdl - 03/28/24 06:07 PM
Can anyone ID these minnows?
by Dylanfrely - 03/28/24 05:43 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 04:48 PM
Yellow Perch Spawn 2024
by H20fwler - 03/28/24 04:29 PM
Alum vs Bentonite/Lathanum for Phosphorus Removal?
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 04:23 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by LANGSTER - 03/28/24 03:49 PM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by ewest - 03/28/24 03:37 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by Freg - 03/28/24 09:42 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by Justin W - 03/28/24 08:19 AM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5