Finding a company to build a pond.

[Toliver]

Is turning out to be very difficult. Searching the internet gives me landscaping companies who build koi ponds and water features, companies who consult on building ponds and those who repair or maintain ponds but none that build them.

I know I need an engineer to check the soil to see if it will hold water and a surveyor to say how high to build the dam and where the water will back fill to before starting to build. (If my property is suitable for a pond)

Anyone have such people on speed dial? I will be visiting the extension office tomorrow but I thought I'd ask here, too.

 

[crackerdave]

Paul Jones is a fisheries biologist with Ga. DNR. He might know a builder.
He is CedarridgeTomcat on here.

 

[Milkman]

It’s actually the NRCS office instead of Extension office I think.

 

[Toliver]

It’s actually the NRCS office instead of Extension office I think.

I actually just learned about them and EQIP this weekend at the Outdoor Blast. Plan on stopping by that office, too.

 

[basshappy]

@Toliver https://www.ottosdirtservice.com/h2otto-consulting

Mike knows. Depending on variables if you can swing it fly Mike in to consult.

 

[paulito]

Yeah i have heard Mike Otto does good stuff as well. There is a magazine call "Pond Boss" that is pretty much geared towards the private pond/lake owner. May want to check them out. We tend to recommend Schnabel Engineering for the dam and outlet type design work. They have a department that specializes in impoundments. They may have some contacts for someone to build it. Keep in mind, hiring an engineer isn't cheap, unfortunately.

Hope it helps.

 

[Batjack]

There is a magazine call "Pond Boss" that is pretty much geared towards the private pond/lake owner. May want to check them out.

pondboss.com is their web site. They have a forum kinda like this one, lot's of good info in there.

 

[westcobbdog]

And don't forget the Key!

 

[Dean]

Following.....had a 'quote' for an onsite visit from a pond management/building company - and it was @ $2,500 to do an initial site visit, and of course potentially inform me that a pond couldn't be built...also my internet searches find the permitting process a bit confusing...anyway, following OP for resources too...

 

[Boondocks]

Find the man with the Dozier and Track Hoe and he will know all that is needed to know.

 

[Stroker]

If you're in middle to south Georgia try George Park 478-952-8647. He's probably built more ponds and lakes than anyone.

 

[Toliver]

If you're in middle to south Georgia try George Park 478-952-8647. He's probably built more ponds and lakes than anyone.

This will be in Floyd County.

 

[AccUbonD]

Toliver,

I know the feeling finding a good service. It seems like it’s a secret to find names. I even contacted a reputable business to get names. All I got was I got builders, but didn’t give names. They wanted in on the money. I’m here in Bartow and was told Evans grading & construction can build them, but I don’t have first hand knowledge or experience with them. You would have to do leg work to know if they do good work.

 

[Toliver]

It’s actually the NRCS office instead of Extension office I think.

Well... I really wish I could vent appropriately with some choice words. At the NRCS office now. Of course the place I bought, according to their soil survey, shows I have two different types of soil dominating the place.... the 2 worst soils known to mankind for building a pond. The only real feature I wanted to add and it's not looking good.

 

[basshappy]

Well... I really wish I could vent appropriately with some choice words. At the NRCS office now. Of course the place I bought, according to their soil survey, shows I have two different types of soil dominating the place.... the 2 worst soils known to mankind for building a pond. The only real feature I wanted to add and it's not looking good.

Hopefully your experience will help others I. The future - always have a current soil test done before investing if a pond is something planned.

As for you lucky for you you are I. The red clay state and if you have the means ($$$$$) you can have what you need trucked in.

 

[Toliver]

Hopefully your experience will help others I. The future - always have a current soil test done before investing if a pond is something planned.

As for you lucky for you you are I. The red clay state and if you have the means ($$$$$) you can have what you need trucked in.

Yeah, I'm glad I didn't put any money into starting prematurely. The clay can be brought in but I'm afraid that's going to be prohibitively expensive. We'll see but it's not looking like I'll be building a pond.

 

[basshappy]

@Toliver depending on how deep you want to go, how wide you want to go, and how you plan to keep pond level up, you could look at tarps. Pond liners can be pricey, but may be more affordable than clay? Some have used the old Billboard sign tarps to keep water in their trenches/holes. So picking up Billboard tarps might be a viable option? Again depends on how wide and how deep. But don't ignore these options, one might be the solution for you.

 

[Tblank]

Well... I really wish I could vent appropriately with some choice words. At the NRCS office now. Of course the place I bought, according to their soil survey, shows I have two different types of soil dominating the place.... the 2 worst soils known to mankind for building a pond. The only real feature I wanted to add and it's not looking good.

I’m close to Silver Creek and when we bought our 18 acres 4 or so years ago, our perk test guy told us the same thing. Don’t really know because across the road approximately 150 yards from my house is an old cow pond in the woods that water stays in year round and I’m pretty sure it’s not spring fed.

 

[paulito]

Soil surveys tend to be on a birds eye view type level in my experience. In other words, Around TATE they mine all the marble and such but there are pockets of other "good" soils to be found. Heck with a good auger and some time you can do some rudimentary "perk" testing yourself just to see what happens.

Liners are also an option. For a sizeable pond going with a bentonite liner would probably be best. Just my opinion. If you have a water source feeding it (creek/stream/etc.) you may be able to compensate for not having the best soils as well. Long story short, I wouldn't just give up just yet.

 

[Toliver]

Soil surveys tend to be on a birds eye view type level in my experience. In other words, Around TATE they mine all the marble and such but there are pockets of other "good" soils to be found. Heck with a good auger and some time you can do some rudimentary "perk" testing yourself just to see what happens.

Liners are also an option. For a sizeable pond going with a bentonite liner would probably be best. Just my opinion. If you have a water source feeding it (creek/stream/etc.) you may be able to compensate for not having the best soils as well. Long story short, I wouldn't just give up just yet.

I asked about that and they said it was done by hand on the ground with hundreds of samples taken all over the county. Apparently my neighbor has good soil. Whatever is at the front of the property is like a tan colored concrete. The skidsteer is only able to scrape off small layers at a time as I level an area for a storage building. And rocks. Lots of rocks.