Ponds come with many benefits for your property, from boosting wildlife to conserving water. They are also a beautiful addition to landscape design. Before land clearing and digging for a new pond begins, take a look at a few considerations.

What to Think About Before Digging a Pond

1. Decide Pond Type

Most ponds are made with either pre-formed plastic pond liners or flexible pond linings. Pre-formed offer a rigid, pre-shaped design that you will set into the dugout area. They are easy to use, but style and design are limited to availability, making them less customizable. Flexible linings come in large rolls and different thicknesses, allowing you to decide the pond’s size, shape, and design. 

2. Inspect the Site

Decide where you want to begin land clearing and which areas of the yard will have a full view of the pond when complete. Pond water usually sits about two inches below the edge, which can help you determine how close or far away you want it situated from patios and other features. Measure carefully and take into account space around the perimeter for movement.

3. Consider Soil Type

Know your soil type since it will affect digging. Clay soil can be tricky to dig into, especially when the ground is cooler, making spring and early fall better times for excavating. Sandy soil is the opposite—it’s loose and easy to dig, but creating ledges and levels may be challenging. Adding boulders and rocks can help. If the area is all bedrock, digging deeply may be challenging, and the pond may need to sit slightly above grade. If jackhammers can’t break through, adding soil to create more depth can help.

4. Build Ledges

Ledges along the perimeter are vital for safety, so no one walking by slides into the pond. Moving soil and putting boulders in place will stabilize the pond and create a strong border to avoid collapsing walls. Ledges can be an aesthetic bonus, too, with levels and contours creating a more natural look. Consider adding greenery on ledges to tie it all together.

5. Use the Right Equipment

Land clearing can be done with various tools, from shovels to large digging machinery and backhoes. The soil type and the size of your design will determine what you need, especially for deeper ponds. While renting equipment is an option, consider hiring land clearing professionals for their expertise in process and equipment usage.

If you need land cleared for your new pond, contact Simak Trucking & Excavating. Located in Conneaut, OH, since 1956, these excavating contractors are available for everything from trucking services to foundation digging. They also provide aggregate for large and small projects and can help you locate any material you are looking for. Call (440) 224-1992 for rates, or visit them online for a full list of products.