1. By: Rick Ayers Yates County Soil & Water Conservation District
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 dike Pond dike pond Embankment ponds over 10%
Excavated Pond
0-3% slopes
Embankment pond
3-10% slopes
dike
Pond
dike
pond

5. 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. Phases and Areas of Concern
Construction
Phases and Areas of Concern

9. Erosion Control

10. Remove and stock pile top soil from pond area.
All top soil will be used to cover the site after excavation is complete

11. Excavate core trench under dike to cut off sub surface drainage and key pond dike into natural ground

12. Pond Dike Construction

13. Spillway construction and overflow management

14. to prevent soil erosion
Seeding and mulching
to prevent soil erosion

15. County Soil & Water Conservation District
Assistance Available
County Soil & Water Conservation District
Site Reviews
Soil Evaluation
Survey & Design