How to Make a Big Pond
- 1
Cattails may indicate a good sitecattails image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
Locate an area where standing water is visible and aquatic plants, such as cattails, rushes, willows or pond cypress are thriving. If a wetland area exists, this also indicates a pond may be possible. Check with your local county soil survey or conservation district to determine if your soil is suitable for a pond construction. If you're unsure that the location is right for a pond, dig a test hole. Keep in mind that even a test hole could require a permit. - 2). Contact your local city, county and/or state departments of environmental protection or conservation districts to determine if a permit is required. City officials can also verify whether electrical or gas piping is buried in your allotted area.
- 3). Dig a test hole to the pond's projected depth, using an auger or backhoe, to determine the depth of the water table. Ideally, the visible water level should be 2 or 3 feet from ground level. Since water levels will change seasonally, observe the test hole for one year, noting significant fluctuations. Cover the hole with a grate or fence around the hole as a safety precaution. Consider changing locations or building a shallow waterfowl pond if deep muck soils, which yield poor water quality and weak side slopes, appear.
- 4). Plan your design. Dig to at least 10 to 15 feet deep if the pond is meant for swimming, while a fishing pond should be 15 to 20 feet in depth. Grade the banks of the pond no steeper than 3 to 1 (3 feet horizontally for every 1 foot vertically).
- 5
Excavatorexcavator. image by Stanislav Komogorov from Fotolia.com
Contact at least three excavation companies for advice and estimates, and select a contractor to dig your pond. Consider visiting several of their past projects to judge the quality and level of expertise. Dig your pond to your desired specifications. - 6
Shoreline plants prevent erosionwasserpflanze image by Angelika Bentin from Fotolia.com
Plant the area surrounding the pond with native aquatic plants for shoreline retention and erosion control. Other benefits include privacy screening, space definition, climate control and wildlife habitat. - 7
Life preservers are essentialvintage life-buoy image by Dumitrescu Ciprian from Fotolia.com
Post signs that show the depth of the pond as well as where life preservers and the nearest telephone are located. Check with your homeowner's insurance company to see if this new liability requires changes to your policy.
Source...