How we dig a pond
We lay out the pond with you first: where it sits, how big it is and how deep. Then the excavator starts digging and loading the dump truck. Dirt goes where it does the most good. It can build up the banks, go to a pad site or get stockpiled for later. Banks are shaped as we go instead of left as a straight wall.
Mississippi State University Extension says ponds in the state should average about 5 to 6 feet deep and be no more than 10 to 12 feet deep, and warns against big areas under 3 feet that grow weeds. It also suggests banks no steeper than 3 to 1 on the water side. We use guidance like that when we plan your pond with you.
What affects a pond job
Soil is first. MSU Extension says soil needs at least 20 percent clay to hold water, so a soil boring on the site is worth doing. Most Delta clay holds water well, but sandy spots near old river channels may not. Water supply is next. A dug pond on flat ground fills from runoff or a well, and Extension advises against pumping from creeks and sloughs when you can avoid it.
Size and depth decide how much dirt has to move. Where that dirt goes matters too. Hauling it a short distance to a pad is a different job from hauling it off the property. Access, wet weather and buried utilities all play in. Mississippi law requires a locate through Mississippi 811 at least two working days before digging.
Catfish ponds, dams and permits
Delta catfish ponds are levee ponds: flat ground, dug partway and built up with levees. Southern Regional Aquaculture Center guidance puts production ponds at 3.5 to 5 feet deep, with levees 15 to 20 feet wide and at least a foot of freeboard. The USDA NRCS handbook Ponds: Planning, Design, Construction covers both dug ponds and dammed ponds.
For dams, MDEQ requires written approval before building, altering or repairing one that is 8 feet or taller and holds 25 acre-feet or more. A surface water impoundment permit may be needed even when dam approval is not. If the pond touches a creek or wetland, check with the Corps of Engineers about a Section 404 permit. We will tell you when to make those calls.
Who it is for
Landowners who want a fishing pond close to the house. Farmers who want a pond for livestock or a dirt pit for fill on the place. Hunters who want a duck hole or water on their tract. People building a pad who would rather dig the dirt on their own land than haul it in, if the soil is right for it.
If you need the dirt from the pond for a house pad, see our pads and fill dirt page. If the pond site is in the woods, we can clear it first. Tell us what the pond is for. A pond for bass and bream, a pond for cows and a dirt pit are three different plans.
