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Updated 2020 new pond thread

There is a big south facing slope and a big north facing slope and then kind of a knob that faces south, east and north. Planning on planting a lot of trees just dont know what all to plant. The plan for food plots would be at the north end of the property which would be just up the hill from the south facing slope.
 
I don't know much about habitat restoration, but I do know that my absolute best shed spot hands down is an overgrown cattle pasture. Its maybe only 15 acres. Tall CRP on one border, corn/bearns on two other sides and timber on the forth side. A small creek runs though the middle. Looking at it on an aeirl map you would not think anything of it and likely skip over it. Its a guaranteed 10-15 sheds every march. I think they just like to lay and stage in it during the day, especially when the sun is out. It has sporadic hedge ball trees, but is mostly open overgrown grass.
 
With 60 acres you can plant a little bit of everything. Trees on the ridgetops, shrubs along drainages or gullys, plant some blocks of switchgrass for dense cover and plant a diverse native mix everywhere else. You could legitimately expect to kill deer, turkeys, waterfowl and upland birds on a spot like that if you mix it up. A blank canvas is a dream come true!

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There is another 60 acres that attaches to this that is going to remain cattle pasture and I'm sure will as long as dad owns it. I've always wished it could be turned into crp. Dad toyed with the idea of farming it years ago but decided it wasn't worth it. Maybe can kick the cows out of the rest someday. There are a lot of possibilities for this but it's tough to get dad to go along with a lot of it.
 
There's a big push right now for pollinator habitat, which also happens to be great for deer, turkeys, pheasants, etc. I'm turning 4.4 acres of pasture into pollinator prairie and the NRCS is giving me $5500 to do so. Give your local NRCS office a call and see what's available.
 
I thought I would update this thread with a few before pictures. It sounds like it is going to be june or july before they start on the pond, but I happened to be out there this weekend so I snapped a few pics.Resized_20200411_102702(1).jpeg
This first pic is what a lot of the pasture looks like. Not a lot of cover.Resized_20200411_102853.jpeg
Second picture is of the valley where the pond will be. This will be covered by water.Resized_20200411_103039.jpeg
Third picture is at the spot where the pond makes a "Y". Lots of good fish habitat.Resized_20200411_103128.jpeg
Fourth picture is the thickest part of the pasture. Hoping to turn this into a sanctuary. Resized_20200411_103339.jpeg
Last picture is up on top in a clearing where I plan on having a food plot or two.
 
Update: We are supposed to be about 2 weeks from breaking ground on the pond. They brought out the drawdown pipe today and fused it together. This pipe is mainly for construction to let the water out while they are building and will be there to lower the level of the pond in the future if we want. This pipe is 250 feet long and will be under the dam.Resized_20200520_102100.jpeg Resized_20200520_102829.jpeg Resized_20200520_112249.jpeg
 
Update: finally the weather has cooperated for the construction company building the pond. They will be breaking ground this week. They have dropped off an excavator, a bulldozer, and a scraper so far. Also dropped off the overflow pipe.Resized_20200616_180631.jpeg Resized_20200616_180737.jpeg Resized_20200615_154817.jpeg Resized_20200615_154545.jpeg The above picture shows where the surveyor marked out the dam. Below is a picture of how tall the grass has gotten with no cattle eating it. Already have jumped more deer than normal for out there.
Resized_20200616_180511.jpeg
 
Great thread - I have a spot on my timber farm for a pond that has the wheels in my head turning. I need some clarity on a family-related contingency topic first before I go forward. It's always fun to dream future land developments - good luck and thanks for sharing the photos now and in the future.
 
They got a little progress this week. Over 5 inches of rain last weekend hindered progress. Right now they are stripping the topsoil back where the dam is and where they are going to get the clay for the dam. They found another spring where there used to be a pond when I was a little kid that is making their job tougher. The picture is sitting close to the top of one end of the dam and looking across to the other end of the dam. The equipment in the bottom gives some perspective on how far across it it.Resized_20200625_180504.jpeg
 
They are currently done with the core trench and have the drawdown pipe installed. Do now it's just keep hauling clay and packing it in. The are supposed to move 60,000 yards for the dam. They had to move where the borrow pit is located because of a spring they found so they had to remove more trees which is a bummer, but it will make the pond wider by the dam. Also found out we are getting a bunch of rip rap because of other projects going on that were looking for a place to get rid of concrete.Resized_20200708_165852.jpeg Resized_20200708_165907.jpeg Resized_20200708_170803.jpeg Resized_20200708_171716.jpeg
 
Looking great! Thanks for sharing the pics. It looks like you might preparing to have an island in your pond?? If so, (in case you do not know this) be sure to ring it with erosion stone/rock. If it is just a dirt mound it will "disappear" in time due to wind/wave action.
 
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