The Pond Doctor Construction

 

Geology and Water

 

 
This is a 2008 construction.
 

WATER
 

You can only build a pond with as much water as you have.  Estimating that volume requires some study.  When you determine how much water you have; then you have to determine what government regulations influence the use of that water.  Then finally after considering the volume, you must determine how much evaporation you have and how much make-up is available in the summer.  The exact objective in having a pond is having one full of water.  Then you have to design a pond to fit your property and water resources; the amount of water you have defines the design.

Design
 

 
Lay a rope (hose) on the ground and draw a pond edge.  A pond edge should have the look of a tree line, not entire but in places entire.  Wandering if you will.  You then determine slopes of no greater than 1:3 to the bottom allowing for pockets of gravel at the edge for a planting bed called a pond engine.  At around 12 feet deep for most areas should be the deepest point in the pond.  All gradients should slope towards this hole or you get dead water in the pond.  Now you are ready to consider excavators.  This is an involved process because most ponds come out-of-pocket.  Therefore, find excavation having the following instruments:
 

Excavation
 

      Remove Sod and Debris

  
Remove Clay and Store
   

 
 
At this point the excavator should move as little soil as possible to achieve the structures necessary to receive habitat for plant and animals.  All slopes are surveyed to obtain a vanishing edge to the pond without freeboard if possible or the illusion on no freeboard, the slope from the land to the pond should be as close to nothing as possible.

Place Liner

River-Run Rock
 

Geologic Structure
 
River run gravel has been washed for centuries in streams and therefore doesn't have any toxic minerals.  More importantly it has been home for the bottom dwelling animals.  If you bring this to your pond, you will also bring all of the microorganisms of the local river.  And you are adding planting structure for water plants who use rock substrates next to rivers and streams.  Notice the gentle slope to the deep level of the pond.  This will limit wave action and the rock and plants will break it.  This reduces silting and increases habitat in the pond. 
 

Lake at Lake Creek Lodge at Two Years 2008 to 2010

Testimonial for this pond.

Gordon Jones, Owner of the Lake at Lake Creek Lodge, Camp Sherman, Oregon.

Jim,

I spent some time on your website yesterday and it is terrific! We continue to employ all of your techniques with great success. I was at Lake Creek Lodge for a few days over the weekend and walked up to the pond early Saturday morning. There was a flock of green-winged teal on the pond that flew off as I approached. Then, to my surprise a great horned owl flew out of a pine tree right next to the pond and took a low flight path out through the forest. As I got closer I could see the dragon flies buzzing around the pond as they have been doing all summer. Then again the stillness was interrupted with the raucous call of a belted kingfisher as he flew from one tree to another, scolding me on the way. The fish seem to be constantly rising to feed on the surface insects and have grown fat and happy for a second year in a row. There is the occasional crayfish sneaking along the edge of the pond foraging for a meal, and the pacific tree frogs are abundant in the sedges, grasses and abundant wild flowers around the pond's banks. We intend to do some major transplanting of wetland shrub species this fall and spring to increase the second layer of growth, and will also be planting trees to provide more shade in the third layer. It has been an incredibly gratifying experience watching the pond mature and settle into a very natural part of the environment. Most every evening this season you could watch one or more experienced fly-fishermen standing in the sedges honing their casting skills, or watch proud parents and grandparents help their young ones catch their first trout.

Whenever we have friends or family to the Lodge and we show them the pond, I tell the story of how you "saved me" from making the many mistakes that I would have made had I not run across you. I had talked to a lot of "pond-builders" and was pretty confident of what I wanted to do. But the one thing that my instincts kept telling me was missing was a good scientific basis for my pond design. That is what you provided, and it not only saved us a lot of expense during construction, it also resulted in a pond that is very low maintenance appears so natural that it seems to have been in its location for thousands of years. I really doubt that in a few more years most people will be able to tell that it is a man made pond, and that to me is the greatest testimonial to your skill and knowledge as a pond man. I guess you could say, "That's what makes you "The Pond Doctor"!

Best regards,

Gordon

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