How do you dig a pond....

[fuzziebutt]

Quote:
AMEN AND AMEN!! We had a pond dug, lost our neighbors as besties because they didn't want the dam to overflow, and spent waaay too much on it, and it still won't hold water. We have a natural spring underground somewhere under it, but we can only dig so far. When we have a flash flood, it overflows, and right now, it is a frog farm. It may start holding water eventually, seal itself up is what some say, but I think we just ruined about 2-3 acres.

 

[chickened]

I have dug many ponds in my business. You need an excavator not a tractor. You may have to put in a liner if your water table is low or the water seeps away through the sandy soil. You can treat the pond with bentonite as a sealer. You need to step the depth of the pond to encourage turnover. It is best if you make it over 7 feet deep to discourage weed growth. You need a plan on what to do with the dirt. The sides need to be steep if you plan on having fish so the birds wont stand in the shallows and eat your fish. If I think of more things to be concerned about I will post them.

 

[chickenzoo]

I will talk to zoning... I know them by heart,......... just getting ideas and trying to understand how it works. People around here have ponds, so I know it's possible. I'm in FL, so if I dig far enough I'll hit water eventually....

But seriously, just gathering ideas. I don't need it for fish, although big koi would be nice, but it is more for the swans , geese and ducks to swim in and eat plants etc... I don't want a liner as i have emu, dogs etc.. with sharp claws. Most ponds I see here don't use liners that I know of... but could be wrong. I have 16 acres, so I'm sure I could spread the dirt somewhere or give it to people on CL. I wanted to find someone who might dig ponds for dirt as I've heard some people sell the dirt......... but I'm getting ideas.

 

[Cetawin]

Absolutely check out permitting...the worry over sinkholes in Florida may have caused restrictions...you may also have to correct any issues with it holding water too. Talk to landscaping guys too they can be a wealth of information

 

[chickenzoo]

I won't do anything with out finding out the restrictions....... i'm just interested in the process, that way if I find someone or do it myself I'll have the know how to have it done correctly.

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

I live in Florida too and I have oftened wondered how they make those huge interconnecting ponds/lakes etc in new subdivisions.
I don't think they use (pretty sure actually) pond liners and my thinking on it was that the water table is so high here anyway that the water stays in the pond naturally because it can't go anywhere else? I have seen them at different times of year with lower water levels and high during the rainy season.
I am looking at a 5 acre farm that has a huge pond/lake on one property line....I am waiting on the bank to ok my offer and as soon as I hear from them I am having someone (dont know who yet LOL) come out and make sure its not wetlands or something. The soil there is really nice and dark loamy type soil, so I am planning on growing a lot of our own food. IF it is subject to flooding from the lake then I am thinking I may get a another pond dug with a canal connecting it to the existing lake.
Very interested in hearing what you are told about this subject.

 

[SourRoses]

Don't forget the fence..... Nothing like inviting some friendly Gators into your backyard to play with the birds

I'll try to find it for you in my favorites if I can... there was this DIY blog type site from a guy in Tampa who has built his own ornamental ponds. I suppose that is pretty different from a pond spanning acres... but why even go that big anyway... well his big pond was big enough for a couple 4 foot gators to move in and call home

He did something that sounded really interesting to me... instead of pond liner... he got the concrete mix.. the one thats just the glue for the concrete (Agrogite?

) and you add your own sand to it.. comes in huge cheap bags... so then he used his already present Florida sand (and we know the sandiness of our sand!) and mixed it in with the concrete glue and some gravel as he went *in place*.... huh.. I thought it neat! Only problem was having to brace it up while it dried and then do a second layer.
I think he said he does them professionally? Then he had his own in-expensive, repurposed mix of black rubber spray on stuff.. he painted it on and waa laa.. a sealed up pond.

Still not gonna keep the gators out...

 

[chickenzoo]

I know, those retention ponds are everywhere, in every sub division. I have seen them dig some and have never seen a liner.........see rocks around the sides on some..... That's why i was wondering. About your new property, call the counties zoning dept. They can tell you if it floods, if their is wetlands...etc I called mine to see if it flooded, what I could raise etc...
Thanks squishy, my property is fenced with field fence... it would have to come as a baby... from where?...... and then not get eaten by dogs, chickens or cranes..... hehe

 

[Egghead_Jr]

It's very likely they are only using silt to seal the ponds. Florida is primarily sand and silt. The muck in swamps, yeah-it's silt, be dust if dry. If silt is fine enough it holds water just like clay does.

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Wondering if you ever attempted the pond.. I am thinking of doing one also in Florida..Thanks