Digging a tiny pond to attract wildlife

I'm digging a small pond at a point that will collect runoff water
from a wooded area. I'm hoping to attract wildlife and perhaps a few
frogs. I'm hoping a few goldfish will control the mosquito production.
The planned size is perhaps 8 x 10 feet. I'm still trying to determine
whether a liner will be required. I would like to know the optimum
depth and contour and what plantings would be good. This is a shady
wooded area near St. Louis. Perhaps someone could point me to a small
pond FAQ? Thanks.

On 20 Jan 2004 07:26:16 -0800
(Dave) wrote:

I'm digging a small pond at a point that will collect runoff water
from a wooded area. I'm hoping to attract wildlife and perhaps a few
frogs. I'm hoping a few goldfish will control the mosquito production.
The planned size is perhaps 8 x 10 feet. I'm still trying to determine
whether a liner will be required. I would like to know the optimum
depth and contour and what plantings would be good. This is a shady
wooded area near St. Louis. Perhaps someone could point me to a small
pond FAQ? Thanks.

Hello, near neighbor! If your soil (!) is like ours a liner will be a
necessity.

Cybe R. Wizard -northern Jeff county, just south of 'The Louie'
--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

"Cybe R. Wizard" Cybe_R_Wizard@WizardsTower wrote in message news:20040120151522.0d8f3665.Cybe_R_Wizard@Wizard sTower...
(Dave) wrote:

I'm digging a small pond at a point that will collect runoff water
from a wooded area. I'm hoping to attract wildlife and perhaps a few
frogs. I'm hoping a few goldfish will control the mosquito production.
The planned size is perhaps 8 x 10 feet. I'm still trying to determine
whether a liner will be required. I would like to know the optimum
depth and contour and what plantings would be good. This is a shady
wooded area near St. Louis. Perhaps someone could point me to a small
pond FAQ? Thanks.

Hello, near neighbor! If your soil (!) is like ours a liner will be a
necessity.

Cybe R. Wizard -northern Jeff county, just south of 'The Louie'

Hi neighbor, yeah a liner is probably a good idea. We have some sticky
clay here that would probably hold water but not as well as plastic
and I don't want to have to haul more water just for the fun of it.
Not sure what contour I should try for or what I should plant around
it.

On 21 Jan 2004 06:38:16 -0800
(Dave) wrote:

snip

Hi neighbor, yeah a liner is probably a good idea. We have some sticky
clay here that would probably hold water but not as well as plastic
and I don't want to have to haul more water just for the fun of it.
Not sure what contour I should try for or what I should plant around
it.

In your position I think I'd get an experimental piece of heavy tarp or
a discarded pool liner to use. Dig, pile, shape, trim pre-liner as you
like it. After it's just like you want, tear it all back out (leave the
hole). You now have a template to use on your 'real' liner and have
done all the nasty work without having to risk harm to the 'real' thing.
It will also help to gauge the amount of runoff you actually get. I've
been/very/ surprised at how much water runs down my little valley.

Cybe R. Wizard
--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

"Cybe R. Wizard" Cybe_R_Wizard@WizardsTower wrote in message news:20040121084925.79fad3b5.Cybe_R_Wizard@Wizard sTower...
[...]
In your position I think I'd get an experimental piece of heavy tarp or
a discarded pool liner to use. Dig, pile, shape, trim pre-liner as you
like it. After it's just like you want, tear it all back out (leave the
hole). You now have a template to use on your 'real' liner and have
done all the nasty work without having to risk harm to the 'real' thing.
It will also help to gauge the amount of runoff you actually get. I've
been/very/ surprised at how much water runs down my little valley.

Cybe R. Wizard

The trick might be getting it dug properly and getting a liner in it
before it fills. I almost hope it does leak so that I will have more
time.

Here's the FAQ site for rec.ponds:
http://www.geocities.com/justinm090/faq.html

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC


"Dave" wrote in message
om...
I'm digging a small pond at a point that will collect runoff water
from a wooded area. I'm hoping to attract wildlife and perhaps a few
frogs. I'm hoping a few goldfish will control the mosquito production.
The planned size is perhaps 8 x 10 feet. I'm still trying to determine
whether a liner will be required. I would like to know the optimum
depth and contour and what plantings would be good. This is a shady
wooded area near St. Louis. Perhaps someone could point me to a small
pond FAQ? Thanks.

"Anne Lurie" wrote in message om...

Here's the FAQ site for rec.ponds:
http://www.geocities.com/justinm090/faq.html

Anne Lurie


Thanks. I wish it included info on how and where frogs hibernate. This
is critical to deciding how I will construct my pond.

Dave wrote Thanks. I wish it included info on how and where frogs hibernate.
This
is critical to deciding how I will construct my pond.

Depends on the frog.
Some frogs, such as bullfrogs and leopard frogs, spend the winter at the bottom
of the pond.
Other frogs, such as the tree and chorus frogs, spend their winters in leaf
litter and under logs.

Frogs that winter under water like a bit of mud, some leaf litter or a tub of
nice mud to hang out in.
Most importantly they need a hole kept open in the ice. This allows built up
gasses from decomposing pond matter to leave the pond. Since our garden ponds
are usually over stocked and over planted this is important. Mother Nature
usually doesn't have this to worry about.


ka30p
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html

EROSPAM (Ka30P) wrote in message ...
Dave wrote:
Thanks. I wish it included info on how and where frogs hibernate.
This is critical to deciding how I will construct my pond.


Depends on the frog.
Some frogs, such as bullfrogs and leopard frogs, spend the winter at
the bottom of the pond. Other frogs, such as the tree and chorus frogs,
spend their winters in leaf litter and under logs.

Frogs that winter under water like a bit of mud, some leaf litter or
a tub of nice mud to hang out in. Most importantly they need a hole
kept open in the ice. This allows built up gasses from decomposing
pond matter to leave the pond. Since our garden ponds are usually
over stocked and over planted this is important. Mother Nature
usually doesn't have this to worry about.


That is what I was afraid of. So how much water depth and bottom mud
depth does that imply? I guess I need a deep center area where the
liner can be backfilled with mud. Thanks.

My pond, here in zone 7, is about two feet deep.
The ice can get as thick as four to five inches but that is very rare as we
have mild winters. You need to plan for conditions in your area.
Frogs don't bury themselves too much, they just like to snuggle up. So I would
not put in a mud hole in the pond. Turtles and frogs have overwintered in my
pond with just a thin layer of muck down there. Depends on the year but could
have been as thick as two inches.
More important is a hole open in the ice.


ka30p
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html