New Pond Started

[DDT]

Started new pond construction Monday. Plan is for some fish and watering hole for deer. Kind of in the middle of a food plot area.

[b3h]

If u get time sure would like to get the details of ur project, cost, time, equip used, etc...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lawdwaz]

1 hour ago, DDT said:

Started new pond construction Monday. Plan is for some fish and watering hole for deer. Kind of in the middle of a food plot area.

In the "old days" people dug them for swimmin' holes??  WTH man............

[E J]

Good luck! When I started mine back in April the contractor hit solid rock about 5 feet down. We finished the surface area of where I wanted but he's coming back in early August to hammer out a bunch of rock and finish grade around it. Even though it's only 5 feet deep it's been fun for our family. We've been swimming and watching all the new critters show up in it.

[DDT]

4 hours ago, E J said:

Good luck! When I started mine back in April the contractor hit solid rock about 5 feet down. We finished the surface area of where I wanted but he's coming back in early August to hammer out a bunch of rock and finish grade around it. Even though it's only 5 feet deep it's been fun for our family. We've been swimming and watching all the new critters show up in it.

We dug test holes to 8 feet plus looking for problems. That dirt spot in the foreground was one. Good clay hard pan. Bedrock is troubles for sure. This is located on a slope, 10 feet plus will be the final depth. 

[DDT]

4 hours ago, b3h said:

If u get time sure would like to get the details of ur project, cost, time, equip used, etc...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I will post more as we go. So far it's about 300 feet long. D6H and a Kubota K121 excavator. My son is digging a 8 foot deep core trench on the downslope side. Took today off for the rain, will see how workable the clay is tomorrow. The excavation contractor has been building ponds for a lifetime. He is a wealth of skill and knowledge. When you start a project like this it changes as you go somewhat as does prices. We have a wet gravel/ spring area well uphill that we are piping in. 

Will put up more pics and info as we continue.

[b3h]

Have sort of the same thing, dug well at top of slope. So u will use the well to supply water for the pond?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DDT]

The watershed above the pond will supply the water but we will put in drainage lines in a herringbone pattern through the spring area and hopefully give water too. Try to put the incoming drain piping to help with aeration. 

[LET EM GROW]

9 hours ago, DDT said:

I will post more as we go. So far it's about 300 feet long. D6H and a Kubota K121 excavator. My son is digging a 8 foot deep core trench on the downslope side. Took today off for the rain, will see how workable the clay is tomorrow. The excavation contractor has been building ponds for a lifetime. He is a wealth of skill and knowledge. When you start a project like this it changes as you go somewhat as does prices. We have a wet gravel/ spring area well uphill that we are piping in. 

Will put up more pics and info as we continue.

There are a lot of wet springs around the area, even on our side. Our plan some year is to clear some brush and put a 1/4-1/2 acre pond in.

Thats exciting DDT

[Jeremy K]

Very cool , my buddy has a beautiful pond that was there when he bought the house . It's on the side of a hill and is spring fed and constantly leaches water out ,it's always crystal clear.

[DDT]

More dike building and digging drainage. About 18 hours of dozer time so far. A little over 300feet long, width TBD as we build dike. Real good Steuben county clay / hard pan.

[Doc]

Love following this project through pictures. Keep them coming!

[DDT]

Put in about 800 feet of drainage from the springs area. Stopped 50 feet short so we don't get any water yet. Looking at what to plant on the dike wall. Don't want to mow it. Wildflower mix is a good option. Crown vetch looks nice but does little for erosion. Want to clover seed the top which will be plenty wide to drive around. 

[DDT]

Finished up the dike this week. Dozer in the bottom gives perspective to 10 feet of depth. Will put on the topsoil Monday and finish up the overflows next week. We will put some structure in for the fish to call home before the water comes. Doesn't seem to bother the deer with all the equipment and construction. Have a soybean plot at the base of the dike, deer were feeding there before dark. 

[Lawdwaz]

Nice project!!

[Moho81]

Looks big, how big will it be all said and done ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[52 farmer]

If your planning on a dock, get it in before it fills up, much easier to build without water.

Looks great

[G-Man]

please take the time to stock it properly. start with fatheads and crawfish.. (make sure they are pond crayfish)  a 1/2 pond can only support 250lbs of fish. proper stocking of species and quantiy is of.most importance.. ive seen many ponds overstocked and stunted or muddied up by grass carp that are unessary if propery built and stocked. 

[DDT]

Size, about 5/8 acre. It being on a sidehill we laid it out long and narrow as to have the dike not overly steep.

Pier, will probably have a floating one 16' long. Anchor it to shore by hinging it to a pair of 6x6's set into uphill shore. Depends on if the level fluctuates much it is better to float.

Fish stocking, I've been following the pond boss forum, lots of good stuff there. Won't introduce anything this year. Planning to keep it simple. Fatheads, bluegills and bass if everything goes as planned. Had not thought about crayfish? Will look at where I can get them.

Thanks all for suggestions. Anything I can learn I'm always open to. 

View uphill, soybeans below pond dike. Sprayed with Roundup this weekend. 

[stubborn1VT]

x2 on the fatheads and crayfish.  You gotta have a good forage base before anything else.

[G-Man]

7 hours ago, DDT said:

Size, about 5/8 acre. It being on a sidehill we laid it out long and narrow as to have the dike not overly steep.

Pier, will probably have a floating one 16' long. Anchor it to shore by hinging it to a pair of 6x6's set into uphill shore. Depends on if the level fluctuates much it is better to float.

Fish stocking, I've been following the pond boss forum, lots of good stuff there. Won't introduce anything this year. Planning to keep it simple. Fatheads, bluegills and bass if everything goes as planned. Had not thought about crayfish? Will look at where I can get them.

Thanks all for suggestions. Anything I can learn I'm always open to. 

View uphill, soybeans below pond dike. Sprayed with Roundup this weekend. 

crayfish will keep your weeds in check. i recommed you do put fatheads and crabs in this year. let them get established. you wont regret it. chinese trapdoor snails are another good thing to start this year as well as their live birth is great forage for fish and they filter a few gallons of water a day..  take the time and talk to a few different hatcherys. its well worth it. i stayed away from bass and bluegill and went with perch crappie and walleye.  bass unless fished or have a predator will quickly overpopulate amd stunt.  i wish the hatcheey i used was still open man was a wealth of knowledge. but old age and retirement came

. best of luck

[DDT]

Finished up the hole in the ground this weekend. Topsoil cultipacked. NEED RAIN! Somebody do a rain dance. Going to clover seed when the fall rains finally come. Add some structure habitat to pond sides next. Need to finish the overflow, but don't need to hurry on that one. Will have to switch over to fall food plot prep too. Turnips, radishes, winter greens and oats to get in if we get some moisture. Soil is turning into dust.

 

[DDT]

Whoever has been doing the rain dance, it's working. Got about 4 feet of water. Need to get some structure in this weekend and seeded as much as I can.

All 3 lines from the springs are flowing.

[LET EM GROW]

Looks good sir!

Calling for a chance of rain almost everyday for the next week if i remember right

[G-Man]

4 foot ! time to throw fatheads and crabs in !!