Digging a swimming pond

I want to hand dig a pond about 20' × 20' and about 10+ feet deep in the middle. Where do I start? I already called 811 and the back yard is clear to dig.

  8 answers
  • Helen Helen on Jul 09, 2018

    Please get more information from local health dept. This type of pool can breed serious bacteria.

  • Joann Gonnella Cope Joann Gonnella Cope on Jul 09, 2018

    Get a good shovel? lol that is a pretty big area to dig by hand, if you know someone with a little bob cat or can rent one, cut out the sod first if there is grass, and start digging you don't want to dig yourself into a hole and not be able to get out, or risk having the walls collapse

  • Mil28952462 Mil28952462 on Jul 09, 2018

    You may want to start with a small pond...I had a neighbor, years ago, that sank a plastic kids pool in the ground and put fish in it during the spring, summer and fall and then took them out in the winter (check to see how fish will do, if you want fish, or plants will do if you want plants) you can start out small and get bigger as you go...I have also seen the hole lined with a heavy plastic or rubber fabric which lines your pond. You then can use rocks, large, medium and small to cover the fabric around the edge of your pond. You can start on a small hill and make a small water fall using a pump you set up in the water so the water recycles and that would hopefully keep it clean. As the one person stated about the health concern when dealing with "standing water" and checking with your city on how to maintain a pond so bacteria and such doesn't grow and also keeping it from being a mosquito breeding ground...good luck!!!

  • Dee Dee on Jul 09, 2018

    Lowes and Home Depot sell pond pools in various shapes. Plus they also sell filters and sprinklers for the pond. If you do not add fish, you can put bleach, vinegar or salt in the water to keep it from being a mosquito haven,

  • Dfm Dfm on Jul 09, 2018

    you need a marking paint to mark the edges of the pond. then, remove all the grass from where to pond is to be. as you dig deeper you will need a ladder to get out. you need some place put the dirt you have removed. have a chat with the fish and wild life division you will need a few fish to eat algae, how will you fill the pond? will it be spring fed or will you have to truck water in?

  • I am trying to find a spring in my backyard. I found a small area where those water witches crossed, but I don't know if it if spring or not. I also dont know how deep to dig to hit the spring.

  • Bijous Bijous on Jul 10, 2018

    Hi Sharol, for something this big and deep, start with an engineer.

    1. You need to know where that water you found starts and stops. Unless you've got a goodly amount of acreage, you may be infringing on someone else's water.

    2. The engineer needs to have a soil test done to make sure the pond doesn't silt up or some other problem.

    By the time you rent a backhoe and an operator, it would be cheaper to buy a small one. You can sell it when the project is done. Oh, and don't forget about permits. You may need city and county, depending on where you live. Happy digging!