# POND BUILDERS



## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

I am looking to have a 1-2 acre pond dug on a section of property. Looking for 12-15 ft deep, straight wall sides. Property is currently damp and wooded. Total Rookie on this type of project, so any and all help, referrals would be greatly appreciated.


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## 12Point (Mar 18, 2008)

I'm going through that same process right now. Damp and wooded typically indicates a forested wetland. If it's a wetland and if any part of that wetland is within 500ft of a river, stream, lake etc, it is a regulated wetland and you'll need an EGLE wetland permit to dig. Everything you excavate will also need to be moved to an upland site and can't be spread in the wetland. If it's not regulated, then no EGLE permit is required. Go to www.fws.gov/wetlands/data/Mapper.html

Click on the wetlands mapper icon/link, accept the terms and conditions, click on "find location" in upper right corner, type in address and then you can view, move around and see all the wetlands, types etc in your area.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## Pat P (Nov 19, 2013)

12Point said:


> I'm going through that same process right now. Damp and wooded typically indicates a forested wetland. If it's a wetland and if any part of that wetland is within 500ft of a river, stream, lake etc, it is a regulated wetland and you'll need an EGLE wetland permit to dig. Everything you excavate will also need to be moved to an upland site and can't be spread in the wetland. If it's not regulated, then no EGLE permit is required. Go to www.fws.gov/wetlands/data/Mapper.html
> 
> Click on the wetlands mapper icon/link, accept the terms and conditions, click on "find location" in upper right corner, type in address and then you can view, move around and see all the wetlands, types etc in your area.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G781U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Thanks for sharing.


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## MasterBaiters (Jul 13, 2017)

Srtaight walls on a pond ? No slope? Soil composition?Digging a hole doesnt make a pond,but a hole.


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

MasterBaiters said:


> Srtaight walls on a pond ? No slope? Soil composition?Digging a hole doesnt make a pond,but a hole.


That is why I am looking for a POND BUILDER


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Check out your soil survey with the conservation district along with their index on the soil. It could save you a bunch of money.


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## pgpn123 (May 9, 2016)

Several years ago we had a pond dug. Right after 2 buds each dug one. One was in a low area and hit water....instant pond. The other was dug on flat dry ground. Didn't hit water but had a lot of clay. After the first winter he was filled and good to go. Nothing to it! We don't need a stinkin pool for the kids! There was a water filled swamp 250' from the house, and we had them dig 100' away. Nice and deep 12' or so, so the water would turn over. Lots of excitement! No water when they were done, but that's ok. After the first winter, still no water. wtf The pond guy lived down the road and I talked to him. Said he hit dry sand and tried back filling it with clay, it didn't work? Well you could lay some sheeting and fill it from the swamp behind you... ah no. Fill the damn thing back in. Still get a crick in my neck when I hear pond talk, lol.


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## MasterBaiters (Jul 13, 2017)

Yup iam no expert but i ve dug over a 150 of them.and not all ponds are created equal and neither is every site.Some ponds are strictly for wildlife,others for backfilling a home,and others recreational.Digging a pond in a wet area doesnt guarantee a good pond especially in areas with under ground rivers which may bring your pond water during spring melt but will also take away during the dry months leaving you a difficult maintenance problem with bank weeds and bank deterioration.Establish your ponds purpose,dig numerous test holes,shoot grades and match its shape and size with the existing area,allowing for differences in elevations.Many areas have different pond requirements,including local ,state and federal permits.Unfortunately i have worked for the state,at the landowners expense restoring wetlands that were destroyed by ponds dug in inappropriate areas.GL


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## pgpn123 (May 9, 2016)

MasterBaiters said:


> Yup iam no expert but i ve dug over a 150 of them.and not all ponds are created equal and neither is every site.Some ponds are strictly for wildlife,others for backfilling a home,and others recreational.Digging a pond in a wet area doesnt guarantee a good pond especially in areas with under ground rivers which may bring your pond water during spring melt but will also take away during the dry months leaving you a difficult maintenance problem with bank weeds and bank deterioration.Establish your ponds purpose,dig numerous test holes,shoot grades and match its shape and size with the existing area,allowing for differences in elevations.Many areas have different pond requirements,including local ,state and federal permits.Unfortunately i have worked for the state,at the landowners expense restoring wetlands that were destroyed by ponds dug in inappropriate areas.GL


Makes sense. I couldn't blame the guy who dug mine. He said he'd fill it back in for free, which puzzled and surprised. Never occurred to me it was his fault (it wasn't). Money was tight, of course, but I gave him a little over half what I paid to have it dug.


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## Wasman2. (Jan 13, 2018)

I have one. 
Dad dug it when he built the house in 95. More for the sump drain. 

Had fish at one time. Muskrats and snappers took care of that. 

I get woodies which is great. 

Local geese in the spring is horrible. 
I've learned many ways to prevent that. 

Then there's the mosquito. That's another thing. 

I like it. But with no swimming I'm not in love with it.


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## TK81 (Mar 28, 2009)

MasterBaiters said:


> Yup iam no expert but i ve dug over a 150 of them.and not all ponds are created equal and neither is every site.Some ponds are strictly for wildlife,others for backfilling a home,and others recreational.Digging a pond in a wet area doesnt guarantee a good pond especially in areas with under ground rivers which may bring your pond water during spring melt but will also take away during the dry months leaving you a difficult maintenance problem with bank weeds and bank deterioration.Establish your ponds purpose,dig numerous test holes,shoot grades and match its shape and size with the existing area,allowing for differences in elevations.Many areas have different pond requirements,including local ,state and federal permits.Unfortunately i have worked for the state,at the landowners expense restoring wetlands that were destroyed by ponds dug in inappropriate areas.GL


My FIL was an excavator by trade. When we got ready to build our barn, we wanted build up the base a bit so it wouldn't be muddy in the spring. Scraped an adjacent area with the dozer and then took a dozen buckets with the backhoe. Got some rain and the hole held water. 3 weeks later, we went to get a couple more scoops of fill with the backhoe and there were baby gills everywhere. My FIL said, "Might as well dig you a pond". That was 20 years ago. It's only about 100" x 60" and never gets more than about 7 feet deep. It goes up and down about 4 feet with the water table, but never dries up. Gills and bass just show up. I have planted a few specks and perch. We have a lot of clay and a very high water table. 

The best part is that when we had the building inspector over for the barn build, he noticed the area where we took the base was holding a big puddle. He told us we had a wetland based on that puddle and that we needed to protect it from the barn build erosion. I tried to reason with him, but had no luck. I had to go downtown GR and pay $35 or so for an erosion permit to protect my puddle that we just created. He never came back to see just how big we made that puddle.


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## MasterBaiters (Jul 13, 2017)

TK81 said:


> My FIL was an excavator by trade. When we got ready to build our barn, we wanted build up the base a bit so it wouldn't be muddy in the spring. Scraped an adjacent area with the dozer and then took a dozen buckets with the backhoe. Got some rain and the hole held water. 3 weeks later, we went to get a couple more scoops of fill with the backhoe and there were baby gills everywhere. My FIL said, "Might as well dig you a pond". That was 20 years ago. It's only about 100" x 60" and never gets more than about 7 feet deep. It goes up and down about 4 feet with the water table, but never dries up. Gills and bass just show up. I have planted a few specks and perch. We have a lot of clay and a very high water table.
> 
> The best part is that when we had the building inspector over for the barn build, he noticed the area where we took the base was holding a big puddle. He told us we had a wetland based on that puddle and that we needed to protect it from the barn build erosion. I tried to reason with him, but had no luck. I had to go downtown GR and pay $35 or so for an erosion permit to protect my puddle that we just created. He never came back to see just how big we made that puddle.


The building inspector is indicative of why anyone actually constructing a pond needs to protect themselves.Over the years it became evident that most of them were unsuccessful contractors that didnt know their butts from a hole in the ground!


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## Chessieman (Dec 8, 2009)

Wasman2. said:


> I have one.
> Dad dug it when he built the house in 95. More for the sump drain.
> 
> Had fish at one time. Muskrats and snappers took care of that.
> ...



Scout around for some Golden Shiners at the bait stores, more so in the spring when they may have them. They can live and reproduce in low oxygen water. They will reproduce and feed on all the Misqetoes. Just buy a couple dozen and they will get the job done within a year or two.


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## Sasquatch Lives (May 23, 2011)

The in-laws neighbors dug one and it has been nothing but a hassle. Tons of mosquitos, muskrats moved in and dug out tunnels in thier lawn which then collapsed and caused sinkholes all over. The pond bred mosquitos like crazy and the kids got ear infections and leeches on them every time they swam in it. The dog jumps in it and then stinks and the herons ate all the fish. Nothing but a hassle.


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

I dug a small one behind the house for fill dirt. It doesn't amount to much because it's all sand out there and it was hard to get very deep then I hit the water. It grows some gills and bass for the herons and keeps water all summer for the deer and I'm good with that. It also grows hundreds of frogs and toads every year, plus a few mosquitoes.


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

Ponds aren't much if they aren't maintained. But with an aerator/fountain (not cheap) and some dye, a lot of the problems people complain about can be prevented. Really not that much work, even to rehab them.


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