It's been a while...

stevomac59 · 01-20-09, 02:43 PM

Hey guys! I know it's been a while since I have last logged on, but I am facing a severe dilema. As some may know, I HAD a ranch pond for about a year, but just recently it dried up!

I had stocked it with monster bass and catfish, all in which cost me 230dollars... That pond has been there for about 15yrs but is always drying up, then filling up when it rains...Not only is this effecting my fishing, but also my hunting....the deer have all left looking for a reliable water source, leaving me with nothing to hunt...or fish!! I want to ask you guys if you know a way to preserve the water year-round. I have heard of keeping water tanks around to collect rain water, but it is very difficult to move those HUGE tanks in the middle of 115 degree heat! My pond is about 150ft in diameter, and at max 7 1/2 feet deep. I wil appreciate any advice you have to offer.

Thanks,

Stevomac59

cassidyta · 01-20-09, 02:49 PM

The only things that I can think off would be to try and make it deeper when it is dried up and to find a way to apply some shade. Is all of the drying due to evaporation, or do you think you might be losing some to the ground? If the ground has something to do with it, then I would look at applying a bottom during the dry times.
Neither shading it nor applying the bottom will be cheap.

The tank part would worry me some because the water would get pretty darn hot. Not that the pond is going to be cool with 115 degree temps and only 7 and 1/2 foot deep.

MississippiBoy · 01-20-09, 02:55 PM

I know that here in Mississippi, the Dept. of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks has a forum they maintain that assists people with their pond management.

http://www.mdwfp.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=5

This may give you a place to start, anyway.

Matter of fact, try here

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwate...private_water/

That's by Texas Parks and Wildlife.

WTL · 01-20-09, 03:10 PM

We would absolutely need pictures or a detailed description at a minimum to know for sure, most on here are gonna be coming up with ideas off the cuff. Not engineering-quality stuff. Is it essentially a cow pond? Is there a source of water other than rain? Most stable ponds have creeks nearby that have a little water directed off. Otherwise its a puddle that can dry up.

I might propose a little bit of an idea. If you arent opposed to digging, dig a pit as large as you can, and make it as deep as you can - 15 feet if possible, then dig a canal to the pond. This would at least give the fish some refuge for those times the water drops. The deeper you get, the less likely to lose water to evap you are gonna have. You are trying to decrease the ratio of pond surface area to water volume.

stevomac59 · 01-20-09, 03:55 PM

WTL, no this is not a cow pond, it was made for fishing and for wildlife use. There is a creek that connects with the pond; however, the creek is not year round. We are thinking about making it deeper....we're gonna hire a tractor to dig it up, how deep would you seggest? We went exploring a couple of months ago (like 9mnths) and found this muddy area, to this day it is still muddy....we are considering digging up another pond, smaller in diameter, and mch deeper. As for the pictures, I will try to post some ASAP. The soil of the pond is very muddy and cracked with green fungi growing out of it, does this type of soil maintain water, or does it seep through??

Thanks for all your help!

Stevomac59

WTL · 01-20-09, 05:04 PM

Then it kinda sounds like 1 of 2 things, either your soil isn't holding the water (and you will need someone more qualified than us to make that determination for sure) or it really is just plain too hot and not enough water to last out.

I think if you dig another deeper pond that is later connected and get it properly sealed it will be your best fix, look at it like a dry season reserve pond. Not sure how deep you would make it, before spending money I would get someone who knows what they are talking about to do a more thourough evaluation.

Oh, 1 other question; how is the creek connected? Does it just run in and run out?

bamabassman · 01-20-09, 08:29 PM

wtl is right. but i would INSIST that you get with your conservation people FIRST. they can help you more than anyone else. and IF i am correct (hardly ever though), they MIGHT even help you stock it. this i do know about ponds, you have to have a sorta solid floor to hold the water. depth is iffy i think t all depends on what the conservation folks say. so i would start with them before i did anything else.

flfireman · 01-20-09, 09:26 PM

Alright let's make this really clear. I am not an expert. However my buddy does pond maintenance down here. I gave him a quick call. He said a lot of farmers and pond builders use clay for the bottom. I believe it was Bensonite(spelling?)clay. Something about the clay holding moisture and not allowing the water to seep into the ground. Not sure if this will help.

Nitro 640 · 01-21-09, 02:27 AM

A clay bottom will hold water. I know this because my parnets dug a pond a year to two ago. Also if you dont have a natural spring to fill it or a creek to run into it, you would need a well to fill it when low. This cost money to drill and electricity to run. Good part about the well is it would pump cool water into the pond. Hope this helps and I will see next time Im over there what the place is for pond making stuff and tips.

stevomac59 · 01-21-09, 01:25 PM

Thanks for all the input guys, I will try to get a hold of Texas Parks and Wildlife to see if they can further help me in the situation.... As for your question WTL, here is a pic of my property...you can see the creek (the dark green vegetation) leading to my pond.

Would you suggest maybe building a pond at the mouth of the creek rather than at the end of it??

01-20-09, 02:43 PM	#1
stevomac59 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Laredo, TX Posts: 455	It's been a while... Hey guys! I know it's been a while since I have last logged on, but I am facing a severe dilema. As some may know, I HAD a ranch pond for about a year, but just recently it dried up! I had stocked it with monster bass and catfish, all in which cost me 230dollars... That pond has been there for about 15yrs but is always drying up, then filling up when it rains...Not only is this effecting my fishing, but also my hunting....the deer have all left looking for a reliable water source, leaving me with nothing to hunt...or fish!! I want to ask you guys if you know a way to preserve the water year-round. I have heard of keeping water tanks around to collect rain water, but it is very difficult to move those HUGE tanks in the middle of 115 degree heat! My pond is about 150ft in diameter, and at max 7 1/2 feet deep. I wil appreciate any advice you have to offer. Thanks, Stevomac59 __________________ stevomac59 Always strapped...with a rod

01-20-09, 02:49 PM	#2
cassidyta BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,928	The only things that I can think off would be to try and make it deeper when it is dried up and to find a way to apply some shade. Is all of the drying due to evaporation, or do you think you might be losing some to the ground? If the ground has something to do with it, then I would look at applying a bottom during the dry times. Neither shading it nor applying the bottom will be cheap. The tank part would worry me some because the water would get pretty darn hot. Not that the pond is going to be cool with 115 degree temps and only 7 and 1/2 foot deep. __________________ If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.

01-20-09, 02:55 PM	#3
MississippiBoy BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ridgeland MS Posts: 3,923	I know that here in Mississippi, the Dept. of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks has a forum they maintain that assists people with their pond management. http://www.mdwfp.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=5 This may give you a place to start, anyway. Matter of fact, try here http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwate...private_water/ That's by Texas Parks and Wildlife. Last edited by MississippiBoy; 01-20-09 at 03:03 PM.

01-20-09, 03:10 PM	#4
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	We would absolutely need pictures or a detailed description at a minimum to know for sure, most on here are gonna be coming up with ideas off the cuff. Not engineering-quality stuff. Is it essentially a cow pond? Is there a source of water other than rain? Most stable ponds have creeks nearby that have a little water directed off. Otherwise its a puddle that can dry up. I might propose a little bit of an idea. If you arent opposed to digging, dig a pit as large as you can, and make it as deep as you can - 15 feet if possible, then dig a canal to the pond. This would at least give the fish some refuge for those times the water drops. The deeper you get, the less likely to lose water to evap you are gonna have. You are trying to decrease the ratio of pond surface area to water volume. __________________ Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.

01-20-09, 03:55 PM	#5
stevomac59 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Laredo, TX Posts: 455	WTL, no this is not a cow pond, it was made for fishing and for wildlife use. There is a creek that connects with the pond; however, the creek is not year round. We are thinking about making it deeper....we're gonna hire a tractor to dig it up, how deep would you seggest? We went exploring a couple of months ago (like 9mnths) and found this muddy area, to this day it is still muddy....we are considering digging up another pond, smaller in diameter, and mch deeper. As for the pictures, I will try to post some ASAP. The soil of the pond is very muddy and cracked with green fungi growing out of it, does this type of soil maintain water, or does it seep through?? Thanks for all your help! Stevomac59 __________________ stevomac59 Always strapped...with a rod

01-20-09, 05:04 PM	#6
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	Then it kinda sounds like 1 of 2 things, either your soil isn't holding the water (and you will need someone more qualified than us to make that determination for sure) or it really is just plain too hot and not enough water to last out. I think if you dig another deeper pond that is later connected and get it properly sealed it will be your best fix, look at it like a dry season reserve pond. Not sure how deep you would make it, before spending money I would get someone who knows what they are talking about to do a more thourough evaluation. Oh, 1 other question; how is the creek connected? Does it just run in and run out? __________________ Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.

01-20-09, 08:29 PM	#7
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	wtl is right. but i would INSIST that you get with your conservation people FIRST. they can help you more than anyone else. and IF i am correct (hardly ever though), they MIGHT even help you stock it. this i do know about ponds, you have to have a sorta solid floor to hold the water. depth is iffy i think t all depends on what the conservation folks say. so i would start with them before i did anything else.

01-20-09, 09:26 PM	#8
flfireman BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Palm Bay, Fl Posts: 2,751	Alright let's make this really clear. I am not an expert. However my buddy does pond maintenance down here. I gave him a quick call. He said a lot of farmers and pond builders use clay for the bottom. I believe it was Bensonite(spelling?)clay. Something about the clay holding moisture and not allowing the water to seep into the ground. Not sure if this will help. __________________ In the Lord all things are possible.

01-21-09, 02:27 AM	#9
Nitro 640 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Caledonia, MI Posts: 253	A clay bottom will hold water. I know this because my parnets dug a pond a year to two ago. Also if you dont have a natural spring to fill it or a creek to run into it, you would need a well to fill it when low. This cost money to drill and electricity to run. Good part about the well is it would pump cool water into the pond. Hope this helps and I will see next time Im over there what the place is for pond making stuff and tips.

01-21-09, 01:25 PM	#10
stevomac59 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Laredo, TX Posts: 455	Thanks for all the input guys, I will try to get a hold of Texas Parks and Wildlife to see if they can further help me in the situation.... As for your question WTL, here is a pic of my property...you can see the creek (the dark green vegetation) leading to my pond. Would you suggest maybe building a pond at the mouth of the creek rather than at the end of it?? __________________ stevomac59 Always strapped...with a rod

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