This article will provide valuable information about building a farm pond. Before you attempt to take on this job yourself, read this article about pond construction. It can provide the insight you need to get the job done correctly, or turn you onto the realization that the job might be too large, and too difficult, for you to handle on your own.
We are J & A Excavation Services, serving the Greater Fort Worth area. Call us for all of your excavation needs, including pond excavation, driveway excavation, and building pads.
The advantages of building a farm pond
The advantages of building a farm pond, the why you should reasons, are significant, and this article in no way is meant to discourage property owners from doing so.
The first advantage of pond construction is that it provides aesthetic value. Ponds are lovely to look at, they are peaceful to look at, and they may very well increase the value of your land. Sitting in a lawn chair, on the patio, overlooking a pond, is one of life’s pleasure moments.
The second advantage, obviously, is the value it provides for your farm animals. Whether you raise beef, horses, sheep, ducks, or geese, a farm pond will provide water for them and a cooling off location during the hot summer months . . . with the added benefit of lowering your water bill if the pond is constructed properly, allowing it to catch rainwater without leaking the water back into the ground.
And, the third advantage of building a farm pond, is the advantage it gives to the environment, an advantage we don’t need to spend too much time explaining, since it is so obvious.
Steps to take in building a farm pond
How to build a farm pond? The following steps are standard in pond construction:
- Designate an area, inspect it, and rope it off.
- Using heavy machinery, a bulldozer and/or front-loader, dig out the pond (excavating), and add gravel or sand if necessary.
- Apply some sort of liner to the pond. This can by a synthetic material, which is expensive, or it can be a natural liner like bentonite, a dust-like material which forms a seal with the dirt, preventing any leakage.
- At this time, you may decide to put in a pump to prevent water stagnation, and any piping you may need for runoff in the event of unusually heavy rainfalls.
- At the designated time, fill your pond halfway with water and wait to see if there is any leakage; if there is no leakage, fill the pond completely.
- As time and money allow, line the pond with vegetation and trees to provide a shady area for the animals during hot days.
Can you or should you?
Now, in theory, any property owner can do the steps listed above. You will need to rent the proper equipment for digging, but it can be done. However, this is a time-consuming job, and it can be a dangerous one, as all jobs using heavy equipment are, so you must weigh the desire to do it yourself with the real possibility of injury.
A final word about J & A Excavation
For the very best in pond construction and pond maintenance, call the pros at J & A Excavation. We are locally owned and operated, and we are standing by to take a look at your job and give you a quote.