It is always crucial to think about the slope involved when trying to build a pond.
As many homeowners know, a flat or level site provides a much greater opportunity to build a pond.
However, so many people that have property or a home do not have that lot sit flat, and their only options are on a slope.
Pond construction can be challenging and, sometimes, intimidating, especially if you have a sloped property.
The good news is that having a slope does not stop you from having a pond. A slope can provide you with a multitude of options and still provide you the opportunity to have the pond of your dreams.
You may have a few extra challenges, but with some good educational sitcom preparation, you can have a nice, functional, and safe pond.
Essential Things to Consider When Building a Pond On a Slope
Budget
Establishing a budget for the pond is critical in the early stages of development as it will help you define how the development process will look.
A budget will help narrow your options and lead to a smoother, faster development process.
Soon, you will notice that there are steeply sloped ponds within the landscape; however, the steeper and longer the slopes, the more work is required and therefore potentially more expensive.
Those sites generally involve some degree of cutting or potentially blasting and removal (transportation and disposal) of rocks, soil, etc. from the site.
The steeper the slope, also requires more excavation, typically with all the specialized equipment required for excavation, terracing, retaining walls, and potentially very specialized drainage solutions.
This additional work, and materials, and extra care required to get the pond to code compliance and safety, goes through the process due to the construction of the steep-sloped pond, more costs are incurred.
Soil Storage and Staging Areas
When building a large pond, you might want to move to a nearby offload area or store the excess soil locally for future backfilling.
Further, you will need to set aside an area for equipment staging, vehicle parking, and deliveries.
Safety and Regulations
Safety of anyone and anything in and around your pond is supreme.
It is literally as important as when you create your pond to have your permits in order. Even your landscaping and the pond have to follow the rules of local government to be safe.
So before you disturb the ground and change your landscape, contact the building department and find out the laws of the location and when and where you will need permits.
Terrain
Another aspect to consider is the topography of the area in which you would like to situate your pond.
Not all slopes are easily to work with – think of the challenges of developing to a gentle slope versus a more steep slope. If your property has lots of heavy rocks or gravel, this factor will come with an additional cost.
On the one hand, you should think about the steepness of the slope. gentler slopes are much easier to work with than steep slopes.
Water Management
If you’re in an area that has significant rain, you need to be careful.
Steeply sloping sites increases stormwater runoff both above and below the ground surface. With this, you now have to understand how water will affect your site.
If water is not dealt with properly water can have significant erosion and more.
To accomplish proper drainage on ponds that are on steep slontas, lots of constructors will build a dam or retaining wall to contain the pond.
Retaining walls or dams will be located either at the top or bottom of the slope to help prevent erosion from occurring.
When evaluating the site, one should look for opportunities to redirect the water, such as using a spillway.
Design of the Pond
The layout of the pond may heavily influence how beautiful it looks.
The best sites for waterfalls into ponds will be sloping sites, which will also look more natural.
Size and Depth
Before taking your shovel and digging your hole, it may be worth considering the depth you would like your pond to be.
For small pond installations, the depth should generally be a minimum of 25-inches deep for an adequate volume of water.
Dealing with a Gentle Slope
If you don’t have a substantial slope to manage, leveling that portion of the pond may be the simplest option prior to construction of the pond.
For construction equipment and grading, it can easily be resolved. Leveling the slope consists of either adding soil, or removing soil, or both.
You would take a little of the soil from the upper side of the slope and push it on to the downward slope until you get an approximate equal amount of soil on the two sides and the water appears level.
In this manner: You can mitigate the potential for overflow caused from a slope created from gravity. When it is all done, it should be hard to tell that the pictured side of the pond had a slope in the first place.
Dealing with a Steep Slope
If you are considering a pond on the hillside and are dealing with steep slopes, you may want to reconsider alternatives as this may be over the top of a traditional level.
The first thing to keep in mind is that whatever you add should be consider the three primary environmental issues that come with ponding. Erosion, run-off, and slope undercut.
Water flows downhill. So when and if you are putting your pond at the top of a slope, this will not be much of a concern.
However, when you put your pond at the bottom and on a slope, you really do not want the slope you built it into to come in to your pond.
One of the first things that can help you get a pond next to an extreme steeper slope is to build a dam, embankment or retaining wall on the downhill side of the slope.
This will help to hold back the slope from coming back into your new pond.
Even with a dam, barrier, or retaining wall, there is also the issue of storm run-off that also needs to be addressed before construction.
Un-managed run-off will come into your pond and at both promote erosion and move debris and dirt into your pond.
So you will want to have some plan for riding the water down slope or over flow.
The run-off needs to be directed to an existing drainage channel, sump drain, or underground drainage pipe.
Again, removing excess water from your pond will help maintain stability of your water and not flood your pond.
A primary emergency spillway can be constructed to protect the dam and provide some protection from the pond flooding over.
Note: Both spillways would direct excess water around the dam into a drain. The flow of the water would slow, while moving through the site while directing back in to the drain.
How to Use The Slope to Your Advantage When Building a Pond?
Although a slope is often viewed as a detriment, a hill has the potential to provide you with a creative opportunity that you otherwise typically could not.
You can construct natural-looking waterfalls with the sound of water running, effectively calming your outdoor living space.
A simple backyard garden pond with your water falls, floating plants and darting fish can turn your boring space into a stunning destination.
The only way this will happen, however, is to work with a team that can see the upside of your space.
An experienced contractor will know how to tackle the challenge and make something beautiful.
Ultimately, you will not only have a working pond, but another beautiful living space in your backyard that you will enjoy for years.
Final Thoughts
Building a pond in a sloped yard might provide challenges.
The slope can actually be a benefit. Yes, there are multiple ways to help you use your slope as a beautiful and functional location for a pond.
With the emphasis on the extra engineering and creativity associated with a slope situation, you need to find the right pond builders who are truly ready to take on the challenge.