Building a pond

[DRH1175]

Anyone built a pond? I have a 2 acre piece of land at my house and was thinking of digging a pond to add some water to my land maybe 2 basins and a stream between. Lillies, grass and a few gamefish. I love wetlands, water and fish. Why not use it as my landscape? Any suggestions on where to get ideas?

[IFallsRon]

You'll probably need to consult the DNR before you create a "wetland."

My brother-in-law dug about a 30 x 50 hole in rural Barnum to do what your're asking about. It took a couple years before the DNR found out about it but they stopped by one day to inspect it and told him he couldn't expand it as planned and couldn't ever fill it in without a permit.

[ozzie]

my buddy has one in his back yard his theory was build now answer questions from the DNR later....I am not condoning this type of thought process but it is what it is......I think it was alot of work digging and adding the structure and depths to it and now he has to take care of it with chemicals to prevent weeding over but it is a great fishery!!

[hotrod1]

A pond like you are talking about would be nice but you may want to consider the maintenance behind keeping that pond looking nice. It can be alot of work and cost alot of money to keep algea and weeds from growing in the pond. Not sure if it applies to a a personal, 'man made' pond but you may even have to have an aquatics license to apply some of the chemicals to it.

Check with the DNR and ask questions about it.

[nofishfisherman]

You also should conisder the fact that addind standing water to your property will greatly increase the number of mosquitos you have flying around.

Most mosquitos stay very close to the spot they hatch from so if any mosquitos breed in your newly created pond you can expect them to hang out in your yard for the summer and then breed in the pond again. It could make it pretty unbareable, no sense building a pond if you aren't going to be able to enjoy it.

[DRH1175]

It will have flowing water. Like a water garden, or koi pond. Not just a standing pool of water. I was going to have local lanscape company help me design and build. Since it will have a rubber lining Would it really be considered a Wetland? I have sandy soil. If I added gamefish I would buy them through a DNR Liscenced supplier not just out of a lake.

[nofishfisherman]

It sounds like you are talking more about a smaller water feature if you plan on lining it with rubber.

I would then think it would be like any other landscape project. Shouldn't be an need to contact the DNR for that, unless you are talking about making it really big.

I would think mosquitos would still be able to breed in the water even if it is flowing somewhat.

How big are you thinking about making it? If you are stocking game fish are you prepared to make it big enough and deep enough for them to survive the winter? I am sure it will still need a pump running all winter.

Keeping a viable population of game fish will take a big effort and alot of dedication on your part to keep them alive season after season.

[Quetico]

To keep viable game fish in there you would need a large pond. Anything more than just sunnies need significant space to survive.

[eyepatrol]

Mosquitos like stable water levels and areas where water is not moving/flowing. It is a misconception about storm water ponds that they become mosquito magnets since they are built and designed for fluctuating water levels. However landscape ponds that are made to only hold water at a certain level will likely attract mosquitos.

As others have suggested, you should at least contact the DNR area hydrologist and get his input on your plans. Better to be proactive and have questions answered on the front end than have problems on the back end when everything is done and the money spent.

[Tom7227]

Here's a site on building rain gardens - a lot of the stuff applies to what you are considering.

http://bluethumb.org/raingardens/

[sparkydm]

My dad has had a water feature for several years now.(5 or 6 I think) he has goldfish in it and there are 2 basins with a stream in between. A pump in the lower basin moves water back to the top where theres a water fall. In the lower basin where the fish are, I have watched them feed on insects on the surface. He used to have more mosquitos around his place until he put crappie minnows in to eat the larvae.