BUILDING A POND/LAKE NOTES

Types of ponds

1. Embankment pond

 Is made by building an embankment or dam across a stream or watercourse

where the stream valley is depressed enough to permit storing 5 feet or more of water.

 The land slope may range from gentle to steep. An embankment pond, hereafter
referred to simply as a pond, is made by building a dam across a ravine or draw to
impound flowing waters.

A draw (US)or re-entrant (international) is a terrain feature formed by two

parallel ridges or spurs with low ground in between them.
2. Excavated pond

 An excavated pond is made by digging a pit or dugout in a nearly level area. Because
the water capacity is obtained almost entirely by digging, excavated ponds are used
where only a small supply of water is needed.
 An excavated pond, hereafter referred to as a dugout, is made by digging a pit in a
flat area that is usually wet for extended periods of time or near a stream/river,
keeping in mind flooding potential. Dugouts are normally sustained by groundwater
and/or springs.
The major considerations in building a pond are:

1. Water supply
2. Topography/Site
3. Soil quality

Water Supply

 You should always give preference to a site where you will be able to obtain your
water supply by gravity. If you do have to pump, try to minimize the
distance, particularly the height (head) at which you need to pump
 To supply water to the pond by free flow (gravity) the pond site should be at a
lower level than the water source.
 Estimate quantity of water needed
 Estimate losses of water due to evaporation and soil seepage

Site Selection

 If possible, consider more than one location and study each one to select the most
ecologically appropriate, esthetic, and practical site.
 An important aspect of site selection is the immediate topography
 An ideal site would be a natural draw, or low area with a moderate slope, that
narrows at the dam site
 Sites that have extensive flat areas should also be avoided because they may result
in high evaporation rates and excessive aquatic vegetation growth.
  If possible, the pond should be located near established wildlife cover, which would
encourage immediate use by various wildlife species. Land with row crops or
construction sites can have major erosion and sedimentation problems if proper soil
conservation practices or buffer strips are not in place.
 If pond water must be conveyed for use elsewhere, such as for irrigation or fire
protection, locate the pond as close to the major water use as practicable. Conveying
water is expensive and, if distance is excessive, the intended use of the water may
not be practical.
 Ponds for fishing, boating, swimming, or other forms of recreation must be reached
easily by automobile, especially if the general public is charged a fee to use.

 Be sure that no buried pipelines or cables cross a proposed pond site. They could be
broken or punctured by the excavating equipment, which can result not only in
damage to the utility, but also in injury to the operator of the equipment.

Soil types

 To ensure your pond will hold water, it is very important to determine the water
holding capacity of the soils present at your site prior to construction
 Soils containing sand or gravel are typically not suitable for dam and spillway
construction. Soils containing very porous components, such as sand or gravel, or
those containing bedded materials, such as shale or limestone, can allow impounded
water to flow under or around the dam and should be avoided.
 The best soils for a pond site are those that allow water to penetrate very slowly.
These include clay, silty clay, loams, and sandy clay/loams. When compacted and
moistened, particles in these soils swell and seal the bottom.
 If soils is limited to sand and gravel, nonporous/nonpermeable linings can be used
to cover the soil to allow water to be stored.

Below is an example of a topographical map with possible site locations