# small pond construction



## Tbomb55 (Nov 27, 2008)

Hello folks,
New to this whole pond deal so please tolerate my ignorance. Looking at a small property of 2.5 acres. Wondering about the possibility of a pond. I read somewhere that you need at least 5 acres for purposes of overflow/drainage. Any thougfhts?

Thanks in advance


----------



## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

It all depends on multiple factors. Soil type, watershed size, topography, surrounding vegetation, neighboring practices, etc. Generally speaking in Ohio you need around a 7:1 watershed to pond surface area ratio. You also need room/access for equipment to operate and get rid of the spoils. I built a 1/2 acre pond last spring and the excavator spread the spoils over 5 acres sloping back towards the pond. The maximum spoil height was graded out to about 4’ higher than original grade. What county are you in? You should contact the County SWCD and the township to see if there are any regulations on building ponds. I had to have an approved SWCD plan drawn up. It was free, so no big deal. I also dug 3 test holes before I did anything to see what the soil was like 12’ down.


----------



## Tbomb55 (Nov 27, 2008)

Thanks. Looking at property in Ashland Cty, very close to Pleasant Hill Res. Might go visit it on Wednesday. If I like what I see I will contact SWCD as you suggest and go from there.


----------



## CRPPIE PARIDISE (Dec 27, 2014)

I live in a township in lorain County and I had to get a drawing done up and the lorain soil and water was in volved. engineering the drawing cost 2000,lorain County 250 township permit 50 I found a guy to excuvating 12,000 1/2ac.10 ft deep call your city or township they will point you in the right direction good luck


----------



## CRPPIE PARIDISE (Dec 27, 2014)

I'm in it for a total of around $18,000 that's including landscape, 80ton of rock around pond and fish stocking.I built mounds with the dirt trucking the dirt could cost another $3 grand .all said and done it's been two years fish are getting big looks beautiful and I'm very happy i decided to build one.I also pay a company to come and maintain the pond


----------



## Willyfield (Apr 1, 2007)

Tbomb55 said:


> Thanks. Looking at property in Ashland Cty, very close to Pleasant Hill Res. Might go visit it on Wednesday. If I like what I see I will contact SWCD as you suggest and go from there.


The first thing I did when I built mine was to have test holes dug to see if there was enough clay to seal it properly. My pond was dug in two separate excavations and cost me $13k total back in 2002 and 2003. Here in Ashtabula Cty, I did not need any special permits, or drawings. The county even came out and looked my site over and told me what my watershed was. We built the pond 75' from my back door. I have an aerator in it, and yesterday we saw some Scaup ducks. Every year we seem to have some kind of weird waterfowl migrate through. 7 pound largemouth is my pond record, so far.


----------



## Tbomb55 (Nov 27, 2008)

Sounds nice. That property did not pan out. I always wondered how difficult it would be to find a farmer with wet scrub land that he can't use. I would pay cash and sign off on any agreement not to develop.


----------



## Willyfield (Apr 1, 2007)

Tbomb55 said:


> Sounds nice. That property did not pan out. I always wondered how difficult it would be to find a farmer with wet scrub land that he can't use. I would pay cash and sign off on any agreement not to develop.


There's always land out here in Ashtabula Cty for sale. SE part of the county has good water for a well.


----------



## Tbomb55 (Nov 27, 2008)

Willyfield said:


> There's always land out here in Ashtabula Cty for sale. SE part of the county has good water for a well.


Thanks for the info.


----------



## BOSSCYCLONE (Apr 19, 2019)

Tbomb55 said:


> Hello folks,
> New to this whole pond deal so please tolerate my ignorance. Looking at a small property of 2.5 acres. Wondering about the possibility of a pond. I read somewhere that you need at least 5 acres for purposes of overflow/drainage. Any thougfhts?
> 
> Thanks in advance


I built my own pond in morrow county. It is about 2 acres. As far as i know the only limits is the height of your dam. If it is over 15 feet high you will have to talk to someone about a permit.
My pond is built over a seasonal stream bed that only flows water after a heavy rain. 15 foot max depth and was full in 6 weeks. there are many smaller ponds in my area, some only 20 to 30 feet across. If you build one and want to stock it , put minnows in during the early spring and your game fish late fall. the minnows will spawn 4 or 5 times and be and be a good food source for your other fish.


----------



## Tbomb55 (Nov 27, 2008)

Thank You


----------



## bcraley76 (Apr 14, 2004)

I agree. I had a 1/3 acre pond dug last spring. As soon as I had some water in it I put 3# of fat heads in it w/ some spawning structure. This spring I have clouds of fat heads. Game fish went in this past weekend and I assume they are chowing down. Put fat heads in as soon as you have enough water to support them.


----------



## ddc (Aug 27, 2021)

CRPPIE PARIDISE said:


> I live in a township in lorain County and I had to get a drawing done up and the lorain soil and water was in volved. engineering the drawing cost 2000,lorain County 250 township permit 50 I found a guy to excuvating 12,000 1/2ac.10 ft deep call your city or township they will point you in the right direction good luck


so it cost $2000 to get it drawn up?? about how much to excavate


----------



## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Thread is two years old and author is no longer an OGF member


----------

