Water features are beautiful additions to a property, providing a home for wildlife, irrigation for fields, water for livestock, or even a place to practice your swimming skills. Whatever your reason, the installation of pond on your property can provide both aesthetic and functional appeal.
Pond Planning
Before you excavate your pond space, it is important to have a plan. The most important consideration with a pond is the water source, which in turn helps determine the location, size, and even shape of your pond.
Potential water sources include surface runoff, springs and streams, groundwater, and wells. Surface runoff requires the placement of the pond in a location where your property drains to; land should slope toward it, swales should lead to it, and it should be at the low point of the property. Springs and streams occur naturally, and are more likely to require a permit and land inspection by your state or county. Ground and well water are unlikely to act as the primary sources of water, but can certainly supplement one of the other options.
The size and depth of the pond are also guided by your intended use. If you want to build a dock or water slide and allow children to play, you’ll obviously need a larger and deeper pond. However, if you just want some koi or ducks to swim around on your property, you might just want a small, more shallow pond.
Excavation
Once you have a plan, you can begin the excavation for your pond. As always, we recommend careful measurement, determination of required depths, and marking of any nearby electrical or plumbing. Unless your pond is very small, this is definitely a job for some machinery and professionals — especially if you needed a permit.
It is also recommended that a pond be lined. You should learn more about the various products that you can used to properly contain the bottom of your pond.
Before things get wet, it’s a good idea, to add an edge or border to your pond. This can be made of stones, gravel, or even small water plants, depending on the aesthetic of your pond.
Just Add Water
Depending on the water method you chose, you might have to wait for rain, pump your well, or divert your stream — either way, you are ready to fill your pond! Wait for your pond to adjust and settle before adding wildlife, however it is good to add bacteria-balancing aquatic plants as soon as you can. Between your excavation pros and nutrient absorbing plants, your pond should be beautiful and clean in no time!
