I am going to be digging a pond soon and have a few questions... I have never dug a pond, and I know I have alot of reading up to do before I jump into the project. Its going to be between 1/4 and 1/2 an acre. I have heard different information from different people I talk to. I see people build ponds by building a dam to hold water into low areas, basically flooding a somewhat dry area to begin with. I also see people digging holes in flat areas and letting them fill up with water. Is there a right way or wrong way? Do you have to have a dam, or can you essentially dig a big hole?
The area I plan on putting the pond is the lowest area on my property and stays wet pretty constantly. The northern boarder of the property in that area is a creek and during heavy rains about half of the field goes under water from the creek. The attached pic shows the field after the water has gone mostly down. I know alot depends on soil type and that has yet to be determined. Someone I talked to said to damn it up on the low side and put the overflow going into the creek, and the other person who looked at it said to dig it into the land and make the creek flow into the pond.
Obviously if I build a dam I have a level pond and if I dig into the ground I have a higher bank going down to the water line on one side than the other. Would one way make it easier to hold water than the other?
First pic is the area flooded, second pic shows the area dry... Its the field behind the building.
