Would Cost Of Pond Be Worth It

[big rockpile]

Ok first off I'm surrounded by Lakes and Rivers with about any Fresh Water Fish you could think of.

Our property it is hard to get a Pond to hold water.I had one dug that never did hold.I've been considering digging a pond down in the holler,where I have a year round spring.This is the only place that might hold water.

Good part of this is I can walk out my door and go fishing.Bad part is I will be out a bunch of $$,it will take a few years to get it where I can fish it,it will mess up a beautiful area,plus it may just not hold water.

So do you think it would be worth the $$ and time messing with it?

Here is one pic.



big rockpile

[CGUARDSMAN]

have you considered clay brought in and lining the pond? or fence around it and raise a few hogs in the hole they will wallow around and seal the pond.

[uncle Will in In.]

You could make a life time of trips to your favorite fishin' hole for what the pond would cost. If you ever figure the cost of fish you catch by the dollars invested, it would be cheaper to buy shrimp ready to eat.
What's goin on with your lake villa these days, and where have you been hidin' out recently? The entertainment factor goes way down around here without you. Unk

[davaseco]

Rock

Maybe you should call the Conservation. They will come out, look at your area, help you build your pond and stock it for you. THEN you'll know for sure if it's worth any money you have to shell out.

[Jan Doling]

The St. Johns River Management crew charged me a $1,000 fine because my husband (now "ex") took a back hoe and built a pond without permission. Turns out they consider all 20 acres to be wetlands, but we were told only 14 acres were wetlands when we bought it. So I call it the Grand Pond since it cost me a grand.

[sue currin]

My Daddy built a pond when he was a young man and has gotten 50+ years of joy out of it. It has also watered our cows. He restocks it every 15 or 20 years to keep his fish healty and of the varity he likes. It has 5 known springs in it. When we drained it back in 1979 it took 2 weeks to get most of the water out. It filled back up in 42 hours. It has an over flow that is the size of a small creek that feeds into the Tar River. His pond is 2.5 acers. His grandkids fish it as much as he does, and it gives him alot of time with them, as it did with his own kids. I hope to build one here in the next year or two. He also built one before this great pond that was done wrong and became a cattail pond. We could get frogs from it for awhile but one day it was just nothing but a wet, muddy spot in the field. It is all about placement. Or so it was in my families case.

[SteveD(TX)]

Uncle Will has a good point. It probably won't add nearly as much to your property value as it will cost to build. But what you can't measure in dollars and cents, is the enjoyment you will get over the years by having it. That might be priceless.

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by uncle Will in In.

You could make a life time of trips to your favorite fishin' hole for what the pond would cost. If you ever figure the cost of fish you catch by the dollars invested, it would be cheaper to buy shrimp ready to eat.
What's goin on with your lake villa these days, and where have you been hidin' out recently? The entertainment factor goes way down around here without you. Unk

Uncle Will I've been here.Yea the river is only couple miles from here.

Went up to the Cabin yesterday to haul some lumber and other stuff up there.Tina is taking off work to go Spoonbilling.She don't want to fish for them,because they are too big,she is just wanting to help me.

davaseco I talked with the Conservation Department.They said they wouldn't help build a pond,because of it being so high $$ to get it to hold water.But they will stock one after 3 years if it is holding water ok.

big rockpile

[indypartridge]

Another angle to consider is that a pond just might reduce your home insurance. I know my insurance would be lower if I had an on-site water supply (the nearest fire hydrant is miles away).

[Ken Scharabok]

I've read a well built and well maintained pond adds three times it cost to property value.

On the picture, where does that water go now? If the spring is year around those flows would take care of a lot of bottom leakage.

Mine cost be about $25K to put in and I feel it is worth every penny. Had I purchased a new pickup for the same cost I would start to be a junker about now, while my pond endures.

If other ponds in your area are clear (not muddy) likely yours would be clear also.

[big rockpile]

Another thing I have to consider too.We have a bad problem with Otters around here killing all the fish in ponds. Most Guys I know soon as they see Otters they shoot them.But they are not hard to Trap.

big rockpile

[HeatherDriskill]

If I could afford it, I would do it. A pond would be great. Don't do it if you aren't sure, though. You'd probably have to keep traps out 24/7 for awhile to get rid of the darn otters.

[fishhead]

What's wrong with the pond in the pic?

[ChuckinVA]

Originally Posted by Jan Doling

The St. Johns River Management crew charged me a $1,000 fine because my husband (now "ex") took a back hoe and built a pond without permission. Turns out they consider all 20 acres to be wetlands, but we were told only 14 acres were wetlands when we bought it. So I call it the Grand Pond since it cost me a grand.

Wow,
Thats a pretty good price for a pond. Free would have been better but a grand is cheap. You did get to keep it didn't you ?

[tinetine'sgoat]

Someone help me with my ignorance here. Why are the ponds so expensive to put in? Our friends had one put in last year for 800 dollars. Granted we have ideal soil for ponds. His was not a huge one, but big enough for some bass and keeps his horses watered. They guy who did it only charges for his equipment time. I never thought of one costing 25,000 before. YIKES!!

[Little Quacker in OR]

Originally Posted by SteveD(TX)

Uncle Will has a good point. It probably won't add nearly as much to your property value as it will cost to build. But what you can't measure in dollars and cents, is the enjoyment you will get over the years by having it. That might be priceless.

I am with Steve here. It IS priceless! I had a pond dug in '99 and I can't tell you the fun I've had with that pond! The grandkids visit in the summer and not only fish in it, but swim and run their motorized little boats around in it too. They catch an assortment of pond critters and put them in an aquarium that I set up for them.

The dogs have a blast in there also. I am visited by so much wildlife...herons, geese, ducks and the whole spectrum of pawed and hoofed animals.

Beautiful turtles have moved in along with of course much other aquatic life.

One summer two of the grandkids were visiting for two weeks with two friends. I have had an island built in that pond and there is a 2"X12"X 16 ft. board that goes over to the island. I've planted that island in just about everything you can imagine. The kids were walking the board to go over and stand on the island and fish. Well my Cattle Dog Howdy just had to follow them naturally. One of the bigger boys decided that board would be a perfect springboard into the pond and jumped up in the air and made a jump, not knowing that Howdy was right behind him and hit that board and made a wonderful spash into the pond!. Howdy was launched into the air in a spectacular Dog Dive and landed with a huge spash and disappeared under the water! That dog came up with the most amazed look on his face!!! That was so funny I almost peed my pants. I still get tears in my eyes thinking about it.

Yes, I'd say a pond is priceless. LQ

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by fishhead

What's wrong with the pond in the pic?

Thats just a small pool.There is several up through there.

big rockpile

[Snafu177]

Where I live a half acre pond with the beach and stone provided cost about 15 to 20k and if dug by a Company it will warranty it from leaking,and will be there for many yrs.
I have one and love it.
Not bad investment when you consider a new Truck cost 30 to 40k and last maby 10 yr if your lucky.

[dale]

Hey BigRockpile.. have you thought about talking to the conservation with the idea of a Dry Hydrant?
What it is is a pipe in your pond that they can use incase of fire in the area but it is dry until they hook up to there truck and start the suction then it will pull water from the pond.

They used to pay or help pay for ponds where they are allowed to install a dry hydrant if none other is avaibile in the area

just a thought

dale

[Ken Scharabok]

Local fire department wouldn't install a dry hydrant, but did provide all of the parts, except for one pipe connector they were out of. Also provided sign for gate at road access gate.