Let’s begin by clarifying what we consider a “large pond“. We consider a large pond to be a pond whose area is a minimum of 1/2 acre or more significant than 1 acre (43,560 sq feet) and at least 5 feet deep, definitely not the standard backyard koi pond.
A good example of a large pond could be a farm pond used as a water source for stock, a fish farming pong, or a retention pond.
Now, you must know that building a large pond brings difficulties that you don’t face when you construct a small pond, for example:
- Where to get large pond liners
- Are any permits required for construction?
- Have the proper machinery for excavation and building a pond.
- Where is the water source located, or how can it be filled with water?
- Etc
This Step-by-step guide to building a large pond contains our many years of experience building ponds around Texas and nearby states. And it aims to help you conquer the challenges of building a large pond that holds water.

Step 1 – Define the purpose
As you will do with a small pond, the first step is to define its purpose including, water source for stock, fish farming, retention pond, overflow barrier, decoration, etc.
If you already know what is the purpose of your pond, you should answer the next questions.
- What size?
- How many gallons of water does it need?
- Does it need any features such as pipes, drains, or docks?
- Who is going to do the excavation?
- Do you have a design?
These questions and answers will set the basis for the design of your pond. Do you have your answers? Great! Let’s move on to the next step.
Step 2 – Design
How hard could it be?
Building a pond could look simple but it requires more than just machinery. While anyone can grab a shovel or use a dozer to make a hole in the ground, building a pond that holds water requires a design that includes pond size, slope, location, deepest point, and more. To begin your design you should consider.
- Pond usage
- Pond location
- Pond size
- Pond shape
- Pond depth
- Pond deepest point
- Pond type soil
- Proper pond liner
- Pond dam height
- Water source and water capacity
- Water circulation
- Easy slopes on the sides
- Treat the soil for permeability
- Drain way
The design will not only tell you how and where to excavate, but it will also help you avoid common problems such as ponds that don’t hold water, wasted material, logistic conflicts, construction accidents, or legal actions.
Step 3 – Permits
Do I need a permit to build a pond?
The answer to this question is “It depends”. It depends on the size of the pond, the pond depth, the usage, the location, and the water supply.
Large ponds normally require significant excavation and depending on their depth and size they could affect rivers, underground streams, or wildlife. That is why permits and limits for pond construction are different in each state.
Here are some requirements by state for pond construction.
Alabama
- Private ponds generally do not require permits unless they affect wetlands or public water.
- If storage exceeds 50 acre-feet, consult the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
Alaska
- Ponds exceeding 10,000 gallons may require a water rights permit through the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
- Wetlands or streams may trigger additional permitting.
Arizona
- Ponds larger than 50 acre-feet or those affecting surface/groundwater require a permit from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Arkansas
- Dams higher than 25 feet or ponds holding more than 50 acre-feet require permits from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission.
California
- A permit is required for ponds larger than 10 acre-feet from the California Department of Water Resources.
- Additional permits apply for ponds impacting fish habitats or wetlands.
Colorado
- Water rights must be obtained for all ponds unless exempted.
- Ponds storing over 100 acre-feet or with a dam over 10 feet high require approval from the Division of Water Resources.
Connecticut
- Wetland permits are needed for ponds affecting sensitive areas.
- Local zoning regulates pond size and storage.
Delaware
- Local conservation districts regulate pond construction.
- Ponds exceeding 20 acre-feet require review by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
Florida
- A permit is necessary for ponds storing over 50 acre-feet from the Water Management District.
- Stormwater retention ponds over 1 acre may require additional review.
Georgia
- Ponds larger than 5 acres or with dams over 25 feet high require permits from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.
- Volume exceeding 100 acre-feet triggers additional safety reviews.
Hawaii
- Ponds over 10,000 gallons may need permits from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Idaho
- Ponds storing more than 14 acre-feet or with dams higher than 10 feet require permits through the Idaho Department of Water Resources.
Illinois
- Permits are required for dams storing over 50 acre-feet or impacting wetlands, administered by the Department of Natural Resources.
Indiana
- Dam safety permits apply to ponds storing over 20 acre-feet.
- Wetlands or stream impacts require additional approval.
Iowa
- Permits are required for ponds exceeding 50 acre-feet or involving significant excavation.
Kansas
- Water appropriation permits are needed for ponds storing over 15 acre-feet.
Kentucky
- Ponds larger than 1 acre impacting streams or wetlands require permits from the Kentucky Division of Water.
- Dams impounding over 50 acre-feet require additional review.
Louisiana
- Permits are needed for ponds exceeding 10 acre-feet or involving public waterways.
Maine
- Large ponds (50+ acre-feet) require permits from the Department of Environmental Protection.
Maryland
- Local conservation districts regulate ponds over 1 acre.
- Dams storing over 50 acre-feet require state approval.
Massachusetts
- Wetlands permits are required for ponds of any size impacting sensitive areas.
Michigan
- Permits are required for ponds storing over 5 acre-feet or impacting wetlands, through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
Minnesota
- Dams creating storage over 50 acre-feet or 6 feet high need a permit from the Department of Natural Resources.
Mississippi
- Ponds impacting wetlands or holding over 50 acre-feet may require permits.
Missouri
- Ponds exceeding 50 acre-feet or involving stream alteration need permits.
Montana
- Water rights permits are required for ponds exceeding 10 acre-feet.
Nebraska
- Ponds holding more than 20 acre-feet require permits through the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources.
Nevada
- Storage exceeding 20 acre-feet needs approval from the Nevada Division of Water Resources.
New Hampshire
- Wetland permits are required for ponds over 5 acre-feet.
New Jersey
- Storage over 50 acre-feet triggers dam safety reviews and wetland permits.
New Mexico
- Water rights are needed for ponds exceeding 20 acre-feet.
New York
- Ponds storing more than 1 million gallons (~3 acre-feet) require permits.
North Carolina
- Ponds exceeding 1 acre or involving significant excavation require permits.
North Dakota
- Permits are required for storage over 15 acre-feet or affecting wetlands.
Ohio
- Ponds exceeding 50 acre-feet need permits from the Department of Natural Resources.
Oklahoma
- Ponds storing over 10 acre-feet need a water use permit.
Oregon
- Water rights permits are required for ponds storing more than 9.2 acre-feet.
Pennsylvania
- Dams exceeding 50 acre-feet or 15 feet tall require permits.
Rhode Island
- Wetland permits are required for ponds impacting 1 acre or more.
South Carolina
- Large ponds storing 50 acre-feet or with dams over 25 feet require approval.
South Dakota
- Water storage exceeding 25 acre-feet requires permits.
Tennessee
- Ponds affecting wetlands or exceeding 50 acre-feet need permits.
Texas
- Ponds exceeding 200 acre-feet require water rights permits.
Utah
- Ponds storing over 20 acre-feet require water rights approval.
Vermont
- Permits are required for ponds exceeding 5 acre-feet.
Virginia
- Ponds larger than 1 acre or affecting streams require permits.
Washington
- Storage exceeding 10 acre-feet needs permits.
West Virginia
- Ponds larger than 1 acre or with dams require permits.
Wisconsin
- Wetlands or storage exceeding 50 acre-feet need permits.
Wyoming
- Ponds exceeding 20 acre-feet require permits.
These are only some of the requirements. We strongly suggest you contact your state’s environmental or natural resources agency to get the proper information that applies to your particular pond.
Step 4 – Excavation
This is the part that could look like just labor but actually requires logistics and experience to avoid accidents or delays during your pond construction.
So, where do we begin with excavation?
We should begin our pond excavation by preparing the excavation site, which means, cleaning the area of vegetation, rocks, debris, and anything else that could obstruct the excavation.
Once the area is clean, the next step would be to mark the area to excavate, the access point for machinery, the deepest points, and the areas for excavated soil and materials. Marking the areas is key to avoiding delays and accidents.
Now it is time to remove some soil.
We should first remove the soil from the deepest point and then gradually move to the pond edges, always measuring and tracking the slope.
Notice that the slope is not only critical for avoiding pond soil erosion, it is also critical for pond excavation. It helps the machinery to move easily and safely all across the excavation area.
Step 5 – Line the pond
This step is kind of part of the excavation because depending on the liner you decide to use it could be necessary to move and compact soil before the final alignment of the slope.
Installing a liner is a must for your pond to hold water when the soil is very porous and has very little clay content. Here are a few options. The traditional rubber liner (PVC, EPDM, HDPE, etc.) or Bentonite pond liner.
Which pond liner works best for large ponds?
The rubber liner is very resistant and effective but has some details that are worth mentioning. Rubber liners come in sheets relatively small compared with the pond’s total area. These sheets have to be welded to cover the pond area and also the biggest sheets are made to order. As a reference, the largest rubber pond liner we found online is 230000 sqft or 5.2 acre.
On the other hand, we have a Bentonite pond liner. This liner is dust that mixed with soil and water creates mud that seals the pores and holes across the pond. Installation is simple. Spread the dust, mix it with the soil, pour some water, and compact it.
It comes in big bags that a skid steer can lift to spread the dust and it also can be used on any pond size. The largest pond we ever built was a 53-acre pond in Texas. Bentonite has a lot of benefits and advantages over other liners that you can read in our pond about Bentonite pond liners.
Lining up the pond is not an easy task in large pond construction. It requires expertise, quality liners, and time and it is also vital to avoid water seepage and leaks. We recommend hiring an expert to line a large pond.
Step 6 – Fill the pond
Filling a large pond is a task that can take hours, days, and in some cases weeks. It depends on your water source’s capacity and your pond’s size.
As a general rule, you should not rush this task. You could end up damaging your water source, your pond water bed, or changing its shape. Consult with an expert before beginning to fill the pond.
This is a 23-acre pond that Lonestar Minerals built in Texas using the best pond liner for large ponds, Sodium Bentonite
(Pond is so large that doesn’t fit in a single shot)
Recomendations
Building a large pond could look like a DIY project but in reality, it is a job that requires specific knowledge and a large workforce.
Design is a must but is not a guarantee for success.
The best pond liner you can install in your pond is bentonite pond liner.
Our best recommendation for success is to hire a professional with the knowledge and team to build your pond. A pond expert will expand your knowledge, solve your questions, and put you in the right direction to build a large pond that holds water.