Having a Pond Dug

[cgbills]

Ok we are looking at buying a house on some acreage and there is a flat clear area on the property that we are thinking about making a pond. The area is a little over an acre, it is mostly flat but does have a slight slope. This pond would be for fishing and swimming. Has anyone ever priced having this done? I have heard that it is not as easy as just digging a hole. To support fish you need to have a water source, like a well, in the summer to ensure the levels don't get too low. Also you need to making sure the soil is not too porous so the water does not just drain out. Does anyone have a good company in Indiana that does this stuff? I want it to be a quality pond and not just turn into a mud pit. I have never had a project like this done and I am trying to do some leg work. Any input is welcome.

 

[malern28us]

I dont know if this is still relevant to you but, my father had a one acre pond dug and a well placed 10 years ago and I remember it was about $14k. I am sure it is much more now...

 

[Tryin']

Final grade does good pond work, Stacey's excavating, Firm Foundation, Wharf Excavating. . . Call any excavation company, we're all hurting for work. . .

 

[straittactical]

there is a lot to it. first of all a 1 acre plot will only get you a 1/2 acre pond tops ( if done right ). there is a lot of rules ( dont quote me on the distances) but you have to be 60 feet from your well, 40 feet from all property edges, and 50 feet from the road. and that is to the front of the hill around the pond. so if you have a 12 foot wide hill the water would be 62 feet away from the road. and big thing here if you want a quaility pond dont let them try to take short cuts and dig you shallow banks. a lot of companies will do this so there is not as much dirt to take out and make is look like a bigger pond. but light penatrates like 20" into the water (dont quote me on the measurments here either) but that means weeds will grow till the water is deeper than that.
now if you want the dirt halled away you can but they can get about 1 load an hour and the dump truck costs 75 dollars an hour so that will be about 20,000 dollars to get the dirt removed ( that was not an option for me I dont have that kind of money ) but for a half acre pond and a beach put it with rocks around it done the right way for me way going to be about 11,000 dollars

hope this helps

 

[grimor]

cheaper to rent the equipment yourself and do it in a weekend. Never had a problem finding a place to put clean fill...

 

[Martin Draco]

cheaper to rent the equipment yourself and do it in a weekend. Never had a problem finding a place to put clean fill...

All that fill dirt would make for a nice shooting backstop!

 

[straittactical]

cheaper to rent the equipment yourself and do it in a weekend. Never had a problem finding a place to put clean fill...

Ya then it leaks. then you have to pay twice the amount to get it fixed and clay brung in.

DO NOT TRY IT YOURSELF !!! ( inless you have done a few before)
you dont just dig a hole and let it fill up as some people may think

 

[JML]

To have it done right it'll probably cost closer to around the $20K range.You could rent the equipment and do it yourself but it would more than likely become more of a hassle for you than a project.

 

[hickuleas]

pond

My excavator dug a test hole to check soil properties. This is only a indicator and not a guarantee pond will hold water. Spring or springs feeding into pond are best but if not available you will need proper surface runoff from a good source. Also i don't recommend running the overflow pipe through dam too much of a potential to leak. A naturual overflow over undisturbed ground not the dam have worked best for me. Always incorparate a emergency spillway in the event your overflow fails. They will fill in with time so make it as deep as possible. Very rewarding to watch the pond come to life. Best deal for me was to use locals to do the work the know the soil types in your area better than others. Make sure contractor runs a compactor over dam as it is built this will ensure dam is packed or has the proper hardness. Good luck

 

[JML]

Ya then it leaks. then you have to pay twice the amount to get it fixed and clay brung in.

DO NOT TRY IT YOURSELF !!! ( inless you have done a few before)
you dont just dig a hole and let it fill up as some people may think

Or if you do "just dig a hole" atleast line it with good clay so you have a chance of holding some water.

 

[swbster]

It was maybe 5 years ago but I got in touch with DNR here in Noblesville and they had someone that specialized in water retention(ponds etc.). At the time, there was quite a bit of knowledge and services that they would provide for free. No digging but they can tell you a lot about what they already know about your location from there databases and some of the science behind water retention a your location. I also remember that they were willing to help offset the costs because of the serious issue of not being able to retain enough water in central Indiana. Hope this helps you.

 

[mertbl]

Go and browse around the pond boss forums. Plenty of good info to talk you out of doing what you want to do. :-)

 

[jsr77]

I would suggest speaking w/ someone from your Indiana Soil & Water District through your county FSA office. They work w/ several companies across the state and may also shed light to aiding in finacing provided your land and plans apply. It's worth looking at Indiana Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts - About Us.

 

[Fenway]

I find this to be interesting. Anyone got pics of a pond they have dug themselves or hired someone to dig?

There really is a forum to discuss just about anything

Pond Boss Forum - Forums powered by UBB.threads™

 

[42769vette]

we talked about doing one on our farm. it would be about 5 acres in all, but it was a gully that had plenty of natural springs. just build a dam and dig down to the clay to get the pond to seal. it would have run about 12 grand and is defintally not a weekend project unless you have experiance in this area

 

[lovemywoods]

As a pond owner of six years (the pond was already here), I have a few comments:

-- Don't do it all by yourself
-- Research your contractor and make sure they have experience in pond creation. Any old excavator IS NOT NECESSARILY QUALIFIED to dig your pond.
-- Ponds are far more complicated to do well than you realize.
-- Pond Boss is a great resource and they publish a magazine too!
-- DNR can be a helpful resource.
-- Plan your structure for the fish before you start to fill the pond.
-- Build your dock before you fill the pond.
-- Eventually enjoy watching your kids and grandkids catch bluegills!

 

[Fenway]

Rub it in our faces lmw.... Post pics of your pond!

 

[MarlinMan68]

Just a thought.I remember a few years ago Ray Scott the former B.A.S.S. president had a dvd on pond and lake construction and management selling for around $30.It might point you in the right direction and is a cheap investment when you consider you will be spending thousands.

 

[Cherryspringer]

All you need is a liner (clay or concrete) and an aquifer. Some excavation equipment and a home your spoils. Sounds like fun. Make it deep or your fish won't survive.

 

[Squirrel Dog]

A lot more than just digging a hole. You would think a pond will hold about any were but not really. A ton of money has went into many a dry hole. The farm accoss from me the owner has had three different excavation companies in all ready and poor guy still hasn't had much luck. He would have been much better off buying a property with existing lake or pond if he really wanted water.