The Farm Fishpond 



2013 



Fig. 172. — .4 rock-filled timber dam 



be soaked in water for a few days before it is inserted into the flange. 

 This will prevent swelling when the disk is in place and consequent 

 breaking of the elbow. The elbows 

 should not be more than eight inch- 

 es in diameter, and the number 

 to be used will depend on the height 

 of the dam and the volume of water 

 flowing into the pond per minute, 

 which must be calculated in gallons. 

 An eight-inch pipe with a head of twelve inches will conduct water at the 

 rate of about one thousand gallons per minute. In order to find the 

 number of pipes required, the number of gallons flowing into the pond 

 each minute should be divided by one thousand. 



Reinforced concrete is probably the best material of which to construct 

 the dam. Directions for preparing the forms and mixing the materials 

 may be obtained from booklets published by the manufacturers of portland 

 cement. There are several other materials that may be used, many of 

 which may be obtained right on the farm, such as timber, earth, and 

 rock. Where this is the case, the principal expense is for labor. The 

 manner of construction of one of these dams is illustrated in figure 172. 

 Of whatever material the dam is made, it should rest directly on bedrock 

 or below the stream bed in impervious soil. A fishpond fed in this manner 

 may be situated below the dam on one side of the stream, allowing an 

 embankment of ample width between the pond and the stream (Fig. 173). 



Well water 

 The absence of flowing water should not totally discourage an attempt 

 to build a fishpond, for it is possible by means of a windmill and a good 

 well to adequately supply one of limited size. A pond supplied in this 



way is described by 

 Dyche under the title, 

 " The Sam Bailey 

 Pond " (page 2018). 



Surface drainage and 

 rain water 



A natural depres- 

 sion in the ground re- 

 ceiving drainage from 

 a rather large area 

 of land may often be made into a pond. If the depression contains 

 soil that is wet or spongy in late spring or early summer, it is still 





■^■iiis;?^i$ssft^^^~Sr 



Fig. 173. — Fishpond showing relative positions of dam, 

 intake, pond, and outlet. A, intake; B, outlet 



