The Basics of Pond Construction Site Selection

1
The Basics of Pond Construction Site Selection
Construction Techniques

• By
• Rick Ayers
• Yates County Soil Water Conservation District

2
Site Selection

• Topography
• Topography of a site will effect
• Type of pond
• Construction costs
• Overall feasibility of the site.

3
Pond Types Site Topography

• Excavated Ponds
• Ponds that are constructed all below ground.
  These ponds are constructed on sites with little
  or no ground slope.
• Embankment ponds
• Ponds that are constructed with a dam to hold
  back water. These are constructed on sites with
  steeper topography

4
Pond Site Slopes
Embankment ponds over 10

• Excavated Pond
• 0-3 slopes

Embankment pond 3-10 slopes
dike
Pond
dike
pond
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Water Supply

• Sub surface springs
• Surface runoff
• 3-5 acres of upslope watershed for a¼ - ½ acre
  pond
• Avoid stream flow into a pond

6
Soils

• All pond sites need to have the soils evaluated
  by digging test pits.
• Test pits should be excavated to a minimum depth
  of 8 feet.
• The soils are evaluated for the percentage of
  clays verses sand, gravel and bedrock.

7
District Staff evaluating soils
8
Construction

• Phases and Areas of Concern

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Erosion Control
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Remove and stock pile top soil from pond
area. All top soil will be used to cover the
site after excavation is complete
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Excavate core trench under dike to cut off sub
surface drainage and key pond dike into natural
ground
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Pond Dike Construction
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Spillway construction and overflow management
14
Seeding and mulching to prevent soil erosion
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Assistance Available

• County Soil Water Conservation District
• Site Reviews
• Soil Evaluation
• Survey Design