Pond estimates

[Gencountyzeek]

Wife and I are thinking of getting a pond dug in our back yard. Probably 1/3 to 1/2 acre in size. 10'-12' deep. Wondering if anyone has had one done lately to get an idea on cost. I know different soils different materials needed, just looking for a roundabout number to start savi g for. Thanks

[52 farmer]

Had one installed about 18 yrs ago, similar size your looking at was $3500.I know it was along time ago but a number to ponder.

One other thought, when you get ready get someone who installs ponds with the knowledge ,don't just settle for some guy with a dozer, there is more to it than just moving dirt.

Good Luck

[Gencountyzeek]

We have a guy, kinda made friends with the guy that did our excavating at our previous house that we had built. He has dug ponds before. $3500, did u have to have clay trucked in?

[52 farmer]

No clay needed, the fill or dirt that they dug compacted great, no leaks.

[The Engineer]

I put in a 1/2 acre pond and made every mistake you could.I rented an excavator and bulldozerfor a week $3000 for both. Then had someone come in and fix it for $7000. It Started to leak the last 5 feet from the top. Also it's 22 feet deep. Also a waterfall from spring run off was added. I am at $10,000 but checking around for a pond 180 x 80 x 22 deep that's what the prices are in the Catskills because of the soil issues slopes etc. PM me if you have questions. I did everything wrong but I got a lot of well paid for education now it's time for fish. 

[Gencountyzeek]

We have sandy soil here, im guessing ill need alot of clay. My high end guess was $10k, but looks like $6-8k is more inline. Thanks guys.

[The Engineer]

Finding clay is tough in the mountains. Get educated, ask neighbors who they used and get estimates. If you have a tool rental place rent a small excavatorfor a day or a 2 person auger and take soil samples. Grab a shovel full put it in a mason jar about 1/2 to 3/4 full and add water. Shake well. Clay sits on the bottom next up is sand then top soil. Spend a day doing it and you will get a good feel of the material to use on hand 

[Doc]

The guy I used offered a guarantee that if any pond that he built failed, he would fill it in for free. He first dug several test holes to see what the subsoil looked like. And then built a beautiful looking pond. The spring run-off came and filled the pond right up to the top. In fact I was a bit concerned that it might start overflowing and wash out the lower retaining wall.

Well, it got close but didn't go over. Through the late spring and summer the water went down and down and became a 3' deep mud-hole. Kind of a frog-pond and mosquito nest. Three years went by, and the same cycle ....... close to overflowing as the torrents of snow melt roared off the hills, and then never holding water through the summer.

Well, as it turned out we had him exercise that guarantee, and now it is exactly what we started out with......a flat grass field that the deer really appreciate. So, it cost me money for a failed pond, but at least I didn't have to pay anyone to fill it back in. His test-hole matrix didn't work, or he misread what he was seeing, so it doesn't always work out.

 

[thphtm]

In my area of the Catskills there are a good supply of excavating companies and they all will not guarantee that the pond will not leak. I have one that was dug and the water never reaches the top because of a leak somewhere . Another one I dug around 600' away from the first  one and the water ran out of that one as fast as it went into it. A few of the neighbors have good size ones that are holding water but they are constantly fed by good running streams. We are not on flats we are on the sides of the mountians.

[First-light]

Just had an estimate for a 30 by 40 pond put in. That included everything including fish $4500.

I want something bigger so I'm holding off for a couple of years. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

12 hours ago, The Engineer said:

Finding clay is tough in the mountains. Get educated, ask neighbors who they used and get estimates. If you have a tool rental place rent a small excavatorfor a day or a 2 person auger and take soil samples. Grab a shovel full put it in a mason jar about 1/2 to 3/4 full and add water. Shake well. Clay sits on the bottom next up is sand then top soil. Spend a day doing it and you will get a good feel of the material to use on hand 

wouldn't the silty clays be on top of the sands in the jar??

[The Engineer]

Thanks CHC, you and my wife corrected me this morning as she reads this site too. She reminded me as she was helping doing the test holes. Sand landed on the bottom first and fast then the clay followed by topsoil / organics (leaves, sticks etc)  if you have more then 40% sand it will leak or seep. Best conditions for the pond lining is 60% or better of clay. Less sand is better. And driving back and forth with a bulldozer to pack it down. 

[Adkhunter1590]

During my nightly cruise through Facebook at work I came across an ad that's advertising all sorts of ground work including ponds. The ad states he does 30ft long by 18ft wide and 5-8ft deep ponds for 10 grand. States his competition does that same size for upwards of 30k.

Though I'm not sure I can take the ad seriously. Mostly because the person who wrote it can't spell very well and has no grammar skills what so ever. And he mentions that he calls in for equipment to be dropped off as rentals so he can do the work. So the guy probably isn't even legit with insurance or anything.

But anyways....just figured I'd share since the guy had a price for a certain size listed.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

9 hours ago, Adkhunter1590 said:

During my nightly cruise through Facebook at work I came across an ad that's advertising all sorts of ground work including ponds. The ad states he does 30ft long by 18ft wide and 5-8ft deep ponds for 10 grand. States his competition does that same size for upwards of 30k.

Though I'm not sure I can take the ad seriously. Mostly because the person who wrote it can't spell very well and has no grammar skills what so ever. And he mentions that he calls in for equipment to be dropped off as rentals so he can do the work. So the guy probably isn't even legit with insurance or anything.

But anyways....just figured I'd share since the guy had a price for a certain size listed.

It can be a decent insurance policy to invest in some test holes and flood them.  Still not a guarantee but can give you some insight. 

[left field]

I don't think I would put a pond in unless I had a year-round spring. One the depends upon run off will be in sorry shape by mid summer. 

On the plus side, my excavator told me he only needs only a pencil-thickness spring for a small pond.

 

[Steuben Jerry]

Following this thread as I'm having a pond or maybe two dug next Spring/Summer.

One is a spring fed area in a gully that I made a practice pond by damming it up with my tractor bucket. They're going to dig it deeper and make the dam bigger. It's about 140 x 40. I was quoted $6k for that. I was going to do it this year, but I need more time to get the trees out of there. My work crew for the tree removal is one old dude (me).

The other will be a dug pond in a field that I'm going to have done with the first one. Size is currently undetermined and unquoted until I determine size. Cost will probably determine size.

 

[t_barb]

I had a pond put in 12 years ago that is between 3/4 and 1 acre...   15 feet deep...   Was about $10k....    Lots of bulldozer time to make a hole that big...    You want someone that knows what they are doing because there is more too it than just pushing dirt around.

Just my 2 cents

[G-Man]

Well it's been long time since I built pond.. So I'll give you after advice.. Get.pond(mud )crayfish and Chinese trapdoor snail and far head minnows a d let them go when pond is 3 ft deep.. Wait a good 9 months ( over winter to next spring)  then decide what kind of fish you want... I did perch and crappie and blue catfish.. A 1/2 acre pond can only support 200 lbs of fish..wether its1 fish that weighs 200 or 200 that weigh 1 pound.. The correct stocking ratio are vital.. 60 perch 40 crappie and 12 cats .. In mine.. You will never need grasscarp if you start with crabs and snails and pond is dug correctly..a quick 2 to 3 ft drop off is best.. Shallow areas are in needed and in wanted..if you have kids teach to swim or make wear life preserver wrong pond until they can swim..my pond is now 25 years old and has great fishing and clarity.. I have since added trout.koi. and some bass.. After the other fish were well established... A correctly built and stocked pond will never need dye or grasscarp.to control weed as the mudcrabs and snail eat new tender growth and will burrow in mud to escape predators.. But it is essential you start with them so they can get established!!