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Do it Yourself Farm Ponds
by Kyle McBride
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Overview
A good farm pond that supports a fish population and meets the requirements of its intended use takes good planning, proper construction and ongoing management. Property owners can get help on a farm pond project from a local department of wildlife and fisheries or from a local conservation service. Check the laws in your area to see if any permits are required for the pond or for other aspects of the project.
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Site Selection and Planning
The decision of when to build a farm pond will depend on weather. Pick a time of the year when weather and soil conditions are conducive to outdoor construction projects that include the use of heavy machinery.
The needs, size of the property and intended use of the pond use will determine its size. Bigger is not necessarily better. With good pond management, a small 1- to 3-acre pond can be stocked with fish. If the intention is to use the pond for irrigation, swimming or boating, the pond will need to be larger.
Choosing a appropriate site is very important. The land's shape, water supply and soil type are major factors in site selection. If feasible, select more than one site and evaluate each on its merits.
An ideal site would be one with clay or silty clay soil that can hold water with minimum seepage. It should have a water source and a topography that lends itself to adequate runoff. The site sould be in a shallow, steep valley that lends itself to a dam that would allow the basin to be flooded to a suitable depth.
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Construction
Determine the pond's depth and location of the dam(s). Six feet is more than adequate for the deepest part of a pond. Four feet is a good, overall depth. If suitable, the soil removed while digging the pond can be used to create the dam. Local ordinances likely will dictate size, construction material and necessary slopes of an earthen dam.
For proper maintenance, make the sides of the pond as vertical as possible, up to 2 feet deep. This will reduce the amount of shallow water around the edges and control undesired weed growth around the perimeter of the water. Plan for overflow and drainage. Excess water needs to exit the pond, and there needs to be a provision for at least partially draining it. Install a drain and stand pipe in the pond, perhaps near the lower dam, with the drain being at the necessary height to partially lower the water level to a desired depth.
