How To Build a Farm Pond
Introduction |
Planning |
Construction |
Stocking
Setting Objectives
Perhaps the most important decision you make as a pond owner is deciding what purposes the pond will serve. If the pond is to be used for something other than fishing – like irrigation, fire protection, swimming, wildlife habitat, livestock water supply, or home cooling – these uses may require different design considerations from those for fishing alone. Design of fishing ponds is described below.
Determine the species and sizes of fish you would like to catch in the planning stages of the pond. This is called the “management objective.” Stocking and management differ based on this objective. Some pond owners prefer bream fishing and manage the pond to produce a good crop of large bream. Some prefer a good all-around fishery. Many want only a chance at catching trophy bass, while others are happy with quality catfish. Usually, a pond can be managed successfully for only one management objective at a time.
Site
Site selection is extremely important. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel can assist in site selection, soil suitability, engineering survey, and design. They can estimate the cost of the earthwork, make quality control checks during construction, and provide information on other aspects of planning, design, and construction. This service is free and may save you money in future reconstruction costs needed to fix a poorly designed or sited pond. Also, be sure to request Agriculture Handbook Number 590, “Ponds – Planning, Design, and Construction” from your NRCS office.
Before you select your pond site, consider the shape of the land (topography), water supply, and soil type. If possible, consider more than one location, and study each one to select the most practical, attractive, and economical site. Consider potential problems, such as runoff from agriculture, past land uses, or potential to attract trespassers.
1. Topography
Consider topography first, because it directly affects building costs and management. Place the pond where enough water can be held with the least amount of earth fill. A good site is usually one where you can build a dam across a narrow section of a steep valley and where the slope of the valley floor lets you flood a large area. Such sites are ideal and minimize areas of shallow water (water less than 2 feet deep). Avoid large areas of shallow water because they become too shallow to use in late summer and fall dry periods, and they encourage the growth of undesirable aquatic plants. Likewise, steep sloping valleys may make the pond too deep, which may lead to poor fish production and possible fish kills. Also avoid locations with constantly flowing creeks or streams, as these flush the pond and make it difficult to manage pond water chemistry.
2. Water Supply
Water availability should be adequate, but not excessive, and may be provided by springs, wells, or surface runoff. Check well water for potentially high levels of dissolved substances, such as iron, which may cause problems in the pond. Also, well and spring water may be low in oxygen when it is pumped or flows out of the ground. Do not use standing surface water (such as pumping from creeks and sloughs) to fill ponds if you can avoid it, because it is a source of unwanted fish, parasites, and fish diseases.
For ponds where surface runoff is the main source of water, the contributing drainage area should be large enough to maintain a suitable water level during dry periods. Thee drainage area should not be so large, though, that expensive overflow structures are needed and water exchange occurs too frequently. As a rule, a pond should have 5 to 10 acres of drainage area for each acre of impounded water in Mississippi. The amount of runoff from a watershed depends on local climate, topography, soil type, and plant cover.
3. Soil Type
Suitable soil is one of the main factors in selecting a pond site. Thee soil should contain a layer of clay or silty clay material that water will not seep through. Sandy clays are also usually satisfactory. The more clay in the soil, the better it will hold water. At least 20 percent clay is necessary to hold water. To determine soil suitability, take soil borings at frequent intervals and have them analyzed. The Natural Resources Conservation Service office can assist with this evaluation. Not evaluating the soil properly could result in a pond that will not hold water.
It is much easier to check the soil for lime requirements and to lime the pond bottom just after construction before the pond begins to fill with water. Your Extension county agent can advise you how to collect soil samples for analysis to determine the lime requirements (of the pond bottom) for the site you have selected. The State Soil Testing Lab charges a small fee for this analysis.
Permits
Mississippi Law requires that anyone proposing to build, modify, or repair a dam must get written authorization from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) before beginning construction. Written authorization is not required if the dam is less than 8 feet high, impounds less than 25 acre-feet of water at the top of dam, or the dam does not impound a watercourse with a continuous flow of water (as long as failure of the dam would not threaten public safety downstream). A surface water impoundment permit may be required, even if written authorization to build the dam is not required. The impoundment permit has a fee of $10 and is good for 10 years. Penalties may be imposed for failure to file. For more information contact the MDEQ Dam Safety Division at (601) 961-5061 or on the Web at www.deq.state.ms.us and click on the link titled Dam Safety.
If the construction is expected to disturb between 1 and 5 acres (construction of the dam and area excavated for dirt used in the dam), then small construction permit conditions will apply. If the construction is expected to disturb more than 5 acres, then a large construction permit will be required. For more information contact the MDEQ Construction and Building Materials Branch at(601) 961-5169 or on the Web at www.deq.state.ms.us and click on the link titled Environmental Permits Division.
Landowners are also urged to check with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to see if a 404 permit will be required. To find your local district contact information, go to the Web at http://www.usace.army.mil/CECW/Pages/cecwo_reg.aspx.