Free pond - see any problem?

[TomIre]

A gentleman who has been in the area all his life (stable, local, etc) is offering to dig a pond on my property for free. The only "catch" is that he gets the material dug (top soil and/or clay) for his time. He sells it for fill dirt and topsoil to local builders, etc. I stopped by another site he's working on and everything looked OK. He has his own track hoe and dump truck. Looks legit in other words.
The main potential issue I can see is if he gets partway through the job and quits leaving me with a muddy mess. But, I'd just have to hire somebody to finish it off and can't see it costing much, if any, more than if I didn't have a mess.
Am I missing something? Seems a bit like a free lunch but I'm thinking it's a good deal all around.

 

[JNA]

See if he will buy it from you for $10 a load and have a contract, been here before.

 

[chesternator]

Curious myself. A pond existed on my property and was stocked but stopped holding water years ago before we moved in. Wondering if you are getting a pond or simply a hole in the ground. From what I understand, a pond is more than digging a hole. I still just have a hole that doesnt hold water. I'd like to get it fixed but not sure what that looks like. I'd also like to take some of the dirt to build up the bank so it's less of just being just a hole in the ground and also to keep it from extending into the neighboring property.

 

[TomIre]

See if he will buy it from you for $10 a load and have a contract, been here before.

Interesting but what would the contract say? Or, does it just establish a buyer/seller relationship? We could do that for a buck.

 

[JNA]

If you are considering it talk to another contractor to see what is required to build a fuctioning pond in your area.

 

[JNA]

How deep, sloped sides, clay lined, berms, excess unwanted fill etc. Who knows he may need it and it may be of value.

 

[KennyG]

I would think carefully about how much drainage you have into the pond. My experience is that ponds are pretty fool proof if you have natural drainage that can be directed into the pool. Then the quality of clay liner installation is not critical. If you don't have excess drainage, it needs to be built by an experienced pond guy.

 

[airbiscuit]

I get all the reservations listed above, however ... sometimes a handshake agreement between honorable people is as good as gold. That has been my experience anyway. I think it makes sense to define the boundaries, depth, saving clay for the liner, etc. It wouldn't hurt to see if the topography and soil will sustain a pond. If yes and you think this is one of those handshake agreements then win-win. It sounds promising to me.

 

[newbury]

There is probably a state agency that could be consulted for advice and maybe even to give you $$ for things like a standpipe. My parents had a small pond put in (in northern Vermont) by the state.
GREAT impact on me. Fresh fish, swimming all four days of summer.
Might want to visit a dedicated site like Pond Boss Magazine: PondBoss Magazine.

 

[rbtjr]

I would definitely get some design help, hopefully from the state agency that regularly deals with pond construction. You may also need a permit from a state agency and/or the US Army Corp of Engineers. We have built two ponds. You need to have an adequate flow of water to support the size pond. For us, that meant determining the acreage and composition of the drainage basin from which the water drained into the pond. You have to consider seepage, overflows, etc. In our case, we constructed dams that included a core area of compacted soil all the day down to soil that didn't "leak"--i.e., down to soil that would not seep too much. And you need some construction planning. What happens if your guy starts digging and water flows into the area he is digging in and interferes with the plan? You might need to construct a temporary diversion of the water flow. And when you start changing the natural flow of water, you might need to consider the effects on downstream land owners. So, I would definitely get some knowledgeable advice, and I would also have a clear contract with your guy that incorporates the plan and obligates him to build the pond per the plan and to finish it.

 

[TomIre]

Had a guy from the state ag department out when I bought the place a few years ago. He said we had plenty of drainage for an acre size pond. Local regs says anything under an acre don't need permitting.
I agree sometimes a handshake and a man's word can be stronger than any written agreement. We both have to live in the same community after all.

 

[morris lipham]

I would definitely get some design help, hopefully from the state agency that regularly deals with pond construction. You may also need a permit from a state agency and/or the US Army Corp of Engineers. We have built two ponds. You need to have an adequate flow of water to support the size pond. For us, that meant determining the acreage and composition of the drainage basin from which the water drained into the pond. You have to consider seepage, overflows, etc. In our case, we constructed dams that included a core area of compacted soil all the day down to soil that didn't "leak"--i.e., down to soil that would not seep too much. And you need some construction planning. What happens if your guy starts digging and water flows into the area he is digging in and interferes with the plan? You might need to construct a temporary diversion of the water flow. And when you start changing the natural flow of water, you might need to consider the effects on downstream land owners. So, I would definitely get some knowledgeable advice, and I would also have a clear contract with your guy that incorporates the plan and obligates him to build the pond per the plan and to finish it.

My neighbor had about an acre pond built about 5 yrs ago, gets about 3-4 feet deep during winter but during summer it gets down to about ankle deep. Where as I have a 3 acre pond that is fed by a small spring, also a lot drainage goes into pond. All he has is a big hole in the ground that is unsightly .

 

[TractorGuy]

My last "Good as Gold" handshake deal didn't turn out that well for me.

I would want a contract stipulating IN WRITING what to expect the final product to be.

 

[gsganzer]

The rule of thumb I've heard thrown around is 20 acres of drainage for each surface acre of water. Based on the 1 acre pond behind my house, that seems about right. I'd want details of the dam construction and the overflow.

 

[YanmarFever]

Talk to some of his past customers to get a feel for what you are about to do.
Also check to see if you need a permit from the county for this pond.
Good luck.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sounds like a great deal. If I wanted a pond, and I had a good spot for it to be dug, I would be all over this. But I don't trust anybody, so I would ask for a clean up deposit, or a deposit to ensure that the pond and your land is left the way you want it when he's done. I don't know how much to ask for. Maybe $5,000? Just put it all down on paper. The size of the pond, the features that you want in the pond, like having it sloped so you can mow around it, and having the work area smoothed out from ruts. Probably give him a deadline too. One year? two years? or whatever you both agree too. Might also include something about not storing anything there, like other equipment or vehicles. Your goal is to cover yourself and to have some sort of leverage to make sure that he does what he says he will.

 

[turnkey4099]

Curious myself. A pond existed on my property and was stocked but stopped holding water years ago before we moved in. Wondering if you are getting a pond or simply a hole in the ground. From what I understand, a pond is more than digging a hole. I still just have a hole that doesnt hold water. I'd like to get it fixed but not sure what that looks like. I'd also like to take some of the dirt to build up the bank so it's less of just being just a hole in the ground and also to keep it from extending into the neighboring property.

That is a good point. A "pond" usually means a constant source of water running into it...or a sping feeding it (neighbor had one like that with the spring in the middle of the pond). If just a 'hole in the ground' it won't be much use for anything except breeding mosquitos.

 

[Rusty]

Tomire - My 1/3 acre pond is 14' deep. It required a special use permit from my township and a soil erosion permit from the state, as well as a building permit. In addition, the required slopes were defined for me and the pond required a 4' high fence with self-locking gate and a piped overflow to an established drain/ditch. Make sure you are certain of your requirements, from a reliable source. My pond filled from rain and snow melt, with no contribution from ground water. Builder told me it might take several years to fill, but mine filled in less than a year. My pond loses about 2' of water to evaporation each summer and overflows by about 2' each spring (net water elevation change of 4' annually). The spring overflow floods about 1/2 of a 5 acre pasture for several days to a week or more. I recommend that you discuss water related issues with neighbors who have existing ponds. Best wishes!

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Personally... I wouldn't let anyone on my property for any reason.

 

[rbtjr]

The rule of thumb I've heard thrown around is 20 acres of drainage for each surface acre of water. Based on the 1 acre pond behind my house, that seems about right. I'd want details of the dam construction and the overflow.

The required drainage area depends on several factors. Trees consume lots of water, so a lot more acres of wooded land is required than land like pasture with lots of runoff. Etc.