For centuries landowners have been building ponds for livestock water, aquaculture, irrigation and recreation. More than 2 million ponds had been built in the United States by land users on privately owned land. More will be needed in the future. The demand for water increased in recent years, and ponds are one of the most reliable and economical sources of water. Ponds are now serving a variety of purposes, including water for livestock, irrigation, fish production, field and orchard spraying, fire protection, energy conservation, wildlife habitat, recreation, erosion control, and landscape improvement. This course introduces the two main types of dams, embankment and excavated, and some of the design and construction considerations for the various planned uses.

Topics: Embankment ponds Excavated ponds Various water needs for agriculture and aquaculture Water needs for waterfowl and other wildlife Ponds used in landscaping Ponds used for recreation Preliminary investigations for pond planning Pond safety considerations to consider before construction.

Intended Audience: This course is of the basic to intermediate level of technical difficulty. It is intended for any engineer, whose job description and engineering practice may require a general knowledge of excavation and embankment pond systems. Principally: civil, geotechnical, environmental, hydraulics, water resources, land development, and stormwater professionals. 

Publication Source: Interactive (Flashcard) PDF Original Courseware: Based on materials from the USDA