# How to get rid of a pond



## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

In my ongoing search for property, I located one that I will try to get if the one I'm working on now doesn't pan out. It's 3 acres with what looks to be a half acre pond. Whoever laid it out obviously had no plans to ever use the land for anything other than to look at. To have the garden I would want...large to sell produce...the pond would have to go. I know everyone else asks how to make a pond, but I'm always backwards, so I was wondering how you would go about getting rid of one and be able to use the land in that spot? The pond isn't the kind in a gully or with a dam on one end, it's just sort of a rectangle pond on flat ground. I may not have to worry about it, but if I do end up trying to get this property I will have to factor the cost involved in getting rid of the pond into my budget. Thank you.

Nomad


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

If there is no berm made of dirt, surrounding the pond, that was dug out, that can be pushed back in, the only real option is to fill the pond with fill dirt, from somewhere else.

If you check with Highway dept or construction companies, they may have fill dirt, that they would gladly dump for free. Just make sure it not a bunch of large peices or concrete, or other junk.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

plowjockey said:


> If there is no berm made of dirt, surrounding the pond, that was dug out, that can be pushed back in, the only real option is to fill the pond with fill dirt, from somewhere else.
> 
> If you check with Highway dept or construction companies, they may have fill dirt, that they would gladly dump for free. Just make sure it not a bunch of large peices or concrete, or other junk.


I was thinking that, but it will need to have some good dirt on the surface for the garden. I had a small garden at the house I used to own and it must have been fill dirt. I was constantly digging up bricks, pottery, glass, etc. Wouldn't I need some topsoil on the fill? If so, I think it would get pretty pricey.

Nomad


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

Nomad said:


> I was thinking that, but it will need to have some good dirt on the surface for the garden. I had a small garden at the house I used to own and it must have been fill dirt. I was constantly digging up bricks, pottery, glass, etc. Wouldn't I need some topsoil on the fill? If so, I think it would get pretty pricey.
> 
> Nomad


You really don't need topsoil, just clean soil, for the top 1 1/2 or so'.

Even if it is heavy clay, you can till in organic materials (which you shoud do anyway) and the clay should will be usable and eventually very good.

I once located perfectly cleand fill dirt off Craigslist. It was clay, but did not have a rock in it. I wish I had gotten about 5 loads more.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I'm wondering, how does the pond get it's water? That could affect just trying to fill it in.


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## taylorlambert (Jul 4, 2010)

I have dried up a fe ponds like that. The best thing to do is to pump it out. pretty dry. Then add fill. If its spring fed good luck it will need some drains in it. I helped a friend do such a pond that was old but the levee was leaking and it was over taken in elodea. We pumped it out and and I too the excavator in it and dug down 5 feet in the bottom and it was tons and tons of of rotten leaves a and elodea weed. 

When it dried up I took a track loader and dipped out around the edges till I was afrais of gettin stuck. When it dried Id go further, We piled the material near by and then he trucked in alot of sand and clay fil lwe mixed. We filled the pond with this mix and and the last 3 feet I backfilled with the pond muck. THe other muck was spread in ather gardens. Its would ave been simpler to fill it in but my friend couldnt let that black dirt go.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Lot of people would like to have it if you can deliver.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Think about using the pond as a source of water to water your "garden".

Just went through a spell of heat where I'd sure liked to have had that "pond" to cool off.

I'd plan a garden "around" the pond.


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## crispin (Jun 30, 2010)

Jim-mi said:


> Think about using the pond as a source of water to water your "garden".
> 
> Just went through a spell of heat where I'd sure liked to have had that "pond" to cool off.
> 
> I'd plan a garden "around" the pond.



that is the same thing i was thinking


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Check with that county or township to make sure you don't have to get a permit to fill the pond.

A lot of ponds in Ohio are made with that clay liner on the bottom and along the sides. You could get the pond to drain by drilling some holes in the clay liner then add fill and till a lot of organic material into the top 8 or so inches.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

Danaus29 said:


> Check with that county or township to make sure you don't have to get a permit to fill the pond.
> 
> A lot of ponds in Ohio are made with that clay liner on the bottom and along the sides. You could get the pond to drain by drilling some holes in the clay liner then add fill and till a lot of organic material into the top 8 or so inches.


this 100X
just because it's manmade wetlands & may have been made w/o a permit doesn't mean you can legally just destroy it, *so check the local laws.*
destroying wetlands w/o a permit can be VERY expensive if someone complains.


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## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

I agree with the last few posts.

1. Talk to the local county people, your state/county may have a firm control of wetlands, and you could be in hot water in a hurry for draining a wetlands. Doesn't matter if it's manmade or not. Also possible this pond got govt matching funds to create it, and needs to stay a pond for 20 or 50 or whatever years. For example, only now can I actually cut down part of the grove the folks planted years & years ago - they got the trees for free from some govt program back when, but they had to remain for 30 years or so. Now don't know that anyone checks on such old programs - but it could be there....)

2. If it is a packed clay liner to create the pond, you could fill it but it still won't drain, will be soggy soil. Might take a little thought to get it to be 'normal' behaving again.

--->Paul


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Why buy land with a big ol 'wart' on it, unless you want the wart? Is there a drastic shortage of land in your area? If so, it's understandable. Someone might give you free fill dirt... question is, will they haul it for free? and what's in it? toxic building waste, or virgin soil/clay? Removing what most people would consider an asset (pond) could cost more than the total land price. I've driven dump trucks, and it can take days to fill in or dig out a hole... and cost tens of thousands.

Looks like a headache... I'd pass.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

I agree. I'd pass on this land. I'd look for a larger piece of property if I wanted a garden large enough to produce food for my family and for sale.... and have a home and some outbuildings.


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## ronbre (Apr 26, 2009)

i agree that it is just a matter of filling it back in, does it have a liner, if you slash the liner it will leak out and then remove the material..otherwise if it is just a clay bottom pond fill it in with soil..

you might want to reconsider, we put a pond in so that we would have a way to save water run off, you can plant around the pond and even on floating islands in the pond, or regular islands in the pond..if you want it smaller but still want to use it as a watershed, fill in the corners and flat sides to make it more irregular, to give it more "edges" to plant on, ponds are a great source of irrigation if you have a drought.

but if the property requires that you pump water out of the ground, getting rid of the pond could be the worst mistake you ever make


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## NorthCountryWd (Oct 17, 2008)

I agree with the possibility that it is now considered "wetland" by your municipality. Be careful.

Also think about the contributory value. Established ponds add significant market value to a property around here. Much more than pools. If you ever want to sell in the future, it could be an asset.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

I knew I'd get a variety of answers, and I did. This land isn't where I live, I can't afford property here. The place has a 4 bedroom farm house with large garage and small garage on 3 acres with pond for $59,900. Because of the way they put the pond in, it's in the way of a garden. Not a small garden, but I want to grow vegetables to sell, so it has to be bigger. I could avoid the pond by putting the garden right along the road, but this is rural property and I don't need midnight shoppers. I'm still hoping for the property with the greenhouse, but if not I guess I'll pass on the pond place. Thanks for all of the advice.

Nomad


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

I'm among the keep the pond people as well...If you're looking for more self sufficiency then the pond can be used for raising your own fish or shrimp. Also another poster mentioned using the pond for watering your garden during dry times.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

I just found out that I can't get the other property I wanted, so my search continues. I also just sent an E-mail to the agent for the pond house out of curiosity. It's been listed for about 16 months, so I asked what's wrong with it? They don't show any interior pictures, so that tells me something. Maybe I should just stop looking until next summer. I'm driving myself nuts with all of the high hopes and then having them dashed. Oh well, I'm about half nuts anyway, so what's a little more?

Nomad


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

If you could get a steal of a deal on the purchase, and you don't mind a challenge, I'd buy the 3 acres with pond. And I'd live there with everything just the way it is now for at least a year, just to see how the property is through all the seasons. You may find that a 1/2 acre pond is a valuable resource. You could certainly stock it with fish and then eat and or sell fish. And pond water often is good fertilizer for crops. A simple low output pump could pump water out of it as needed. 
I'd LOVE to have a pond that big! To me the pond is an asset, and actually increases the property value.
Certainly there are other places on the 3 acres that would be suitable for a large garden, provided the property isn't dangling of the edge of a steep cliff.


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## dezingg (Feb 25, 2010)

I wonder what the soil at the pond's bottom looks like ... I keep thinking that the junk that I dig out of the bottom of my two metal ponds (8'dia and 6'dia) would be good for the garden. It's mostly decomposed leaves and fish poop.

It would be too much work, but it's too bad that the pond isn't close to the road and acting like a natural barrier for those midnight shoppers you're envisioning.

Frankly, I'm envious that you have a pond, especially if it doesn't require you to add water to it.


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

I think the EPA is the agency to be concerned about, along with your natural rescource district.


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

Manmade or not, I just don't see how filling it in with fill is going to create a garden area. I foresee a wet, soggy area where the soil never dries out and when it rains you sink 6" over your tennis shoes. It may work to grow rice, though!


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

Nomad said:


> In my ongoing search for property, I located one that I will try to get if the one I'm working on now doesn't pan out. It's 3 acres with what looks to be a half acre pond. Whoever laid it out obviously had no plans to ever use the land for anything other than to look at. To have the garden I would want...large to sell produce...the pond would have to go. I know everyone else asks how to make a pond, but I'm always backwards, so I was wondering how you would go about getting rid of one and be able to use the land in that spot? The pond isn't the kind in a gully or with a dam on one end, it's just sort of a rectangle pond on flat ground. I may not have to worry about it, but if I do end up trying to get this property I will have to factor the cost involved in getting rid of the pond into my budget. Thank you.
> 
> Nomad


If the rainfall in your part of the state is like it is in my part of the state all you will need to do is wait. Dry as a bone here in Vinton County


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

Final Post on this....the property won't pass to get the VA loan. At least this realtor didn't make me wait two weeks to let me know I can't get it. So the search goes on.

Nomad


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## NorthCountryWd (Oct 17, 2008)

What disqualified it?

Are you stuck with the VA or can you go FHA homepath? This might be a better option for the fixer-upper type properties. VA can be strict.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

NorthCountryWd said:


> What disqualified it?
> 
> Are you stuck with the VA or can you go FHA homepath? This might be a better option for the fixer-upper type properties. VA can be strict.


I have no credit and basically no down payment, so I think I need the VA. I qualify for a USDA loan and the property I originally wanted qualified also, but you need to wait 36 months after a bankruptcy and that would be August 2012. So I will probably use the VA unless I can get a lease to own for two years. I'm also afraid of the rates going up by then, so I'm not sure I'd want to wait that long. The realtor told me the pond house wouldn't qualify for a goverment loan before I even asked her and I'm trusting her to know. These properties are over four hours away, so I'm not able to run over and look. When I get to a place in negotiations that look promising, I will go and take a good look at whatever property I'm interested in. So far I've been going by pictures and what the realtors have told me.

Nomad


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## NorthCountryWd (Oct 17, 2008)

Gotcha. 

I don't think VA has a fixer-upper program like the FHA 203k, so you might be limited in what you can look at. Anything 78 and older can't have peeling paint. If it has a well, it has to have appropriate setbacks from property line, septic, house & garage. Pretty sure they allow appliances to be missing, so you may still be able to look at foreclosures, but it would have to pass inspection, meaning all mechanical systems are sound and the property is in average or better shape.

There are a lot of waivers available for certain deficiencies, so you could try and press the issue.

Good luck.


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