When is the Best Time to Renovate or Dig a Pond?

Adding a pond to your garden, smallholding, farm, or suburban yard can serve more than one purpose. Depending on the size, it can serve as an extra water source, beautify your home, or keep fish such as koi. Before you start, you should know the best time to renovate or dig a pond.

The best time to renovate or dig a pond is early fall. During fall, the soil is perfect for construction and digging. There is not a lot of rain that causes the soil to become saturated and soggy. During fall, pond renovations are recommended because the weather is temperate and warm with little rain.

Digging a new pond requires a fair amount of planning, such as getting gradients correct and having the pond ready before the spring and summer rain arrives. Planning every detail will give you great results in digging a new pond or renovating an existing one. Here is some information on how to approach it.

When Is The Best Time Of The Year To Dig A New Pond?

To dig a new pond, you need soil that is not soggy and wet but just damp enough for easy excavation. There is no rain at the beginning of fall, and if your new pond is not too big or deep, it is a good time to start excavating.

Planning for the new pond should be done in advance, and necessary machinery, engineers, and workforce should be booked. The damp soil is easy to excavate, shape and compact as it contains the right amount of moisture. Typically the topsoil is used around the pond’s edges for landscaping and rehabilitation.

Compacting the soil can be done with heavy machinery without the soil getting too soggy and trapping machines.

When Is The Best Time Of The Year To Renovate An Existing Pond?

The renovation of an existing pond can be done in fall and winter but could also be done at any time. The only things that may hamper the renovation are heavy rains and if the pond becomes frozen.

The best way to start the renovation process is to do a few maintenance checks on the pond. The following points are important to assess:

• If possible, drain the pond to expose all inlets and outlets
• Larger ponds may need to be drained and dried out for re-landscaping of the bottom once dry
• Any area shallower than two feet needs to be made deeper
• Inspect all the drain pipes for blockages or leaks
• Inspect all the inlets for blockages or leaks
• Refurbish any broken pipes
• Replace any broken joints, valves, or seals
• Do a stocktake on pond plants and replenish
• Add rocks for shelter
• The type of lining that needs to be used in smaller, suburban ponds
• What pumps should be used for water circulation and aeration?
• Pack a crushed stone and rock area underneath the inlet pipe to prevent erosion
• Stock the pond with new fish

The removed silt can be used for composting a garden and be worked into a field to enrich the soil. It’s always good to plant new plants around the banks to help with the rehabilitation process and curb erosion.

What Else To Know Before Digging A Pond?

When you want to dig a new pond, where should you start? What are the obvious and obscure things you should consider? Here is a list of things you should know before you start digging a pond:

• What is the gradient like in the area you wish to dig the new pond? Is it flat ground or sloped?
• Will the pond be in full sunlight, half-day sunlight, or will it get no sun?
• Do you want to build the pond with cascades? Do you want to add a waterfall feature?
• Is the soil clay, rocky, sandy, loamy, or does it drain well?
• Is there wildlife that can potentially take over your pond? Do you need to put up barriers or a fence?
• Do you need to build a walkway into the pond if it’s an acre big?
• Are there any pipes or cables that run underground in the area you want to build?
• How deep do you plan on digging the pond? What machinery will you need?
• Which fish species are you planning on introducing?

How Long Does It Take To Dig A 1 Acre Pond?

Digging a pond that is one acre big can take a few weeks to several months, depending on the amount of workforce and type of machinery used. Attempting to dig a pond almost the size of a football field will take a lot of planning, finances, and the right equipment.

Factors that can influence the time it takes to dig a one-acre pond are:

• Trees or tree stumps that may need removing or transplanting.
• Large boulders or smaller rocks may need to be removed.
• Pipes or cables that need to be re-routed or reinforced.
• The depth of the pond can cause the digging to be extended.
• Sick days or leave days by staff.
• Machinery that breaks down or needs a service.
• Bad weather can halt excavations.
• Moving of the excavated soil should be planned well in advance.

How Deep Should I Dig My Pond?

A pond should never be less than 3 feet deep. Fish such as koi and tilapia prefer to be in ponds 4 to 7 feet deep. This allows for cool water in summer and ample depth for them to hide away from predators such as herons, otters, and raccoons.  

Deeper ponds also mimic the natural environments of certain fish and frog species in nature and may stimulate them to breed and populate the pond naturally.

Conclusion

Plan your new pond well in advance, taking care not to attempt construction during the rainy season. Since building a new pond is a large financial commitment, always use qualified and highly recommended experts to help you build your new pond professionally.