14 Fish and Game Warden. [Bull. No. 1. 



the nature of the soil, and the possible amount of water to be 

 held and the amount to be gotten rid of in times of high water 

 and overflow, are propositions that vary so much for ponds in 

 different localities that it is not possible to give definite in- 

 structions unless the particular location can be visited and 

 studied. However, there are some general principles that will 

 hold good for the construction of ponds in almost any locality. 



The Foundation of a Dike or Dam. 



The location of the pond should be well studied in its various 

 relations to the dam that is to be built, and if possible the 

 services of a civil engineer or a surveyor should be secured 

 to lay it out properly and to give the various grades and to 

 show not only exactly where the dam should be built but to 

 give plans for its proper proportions. All the natural advan- 

 tages of the location should be utilized. 



It is very important that the ground for the foundation of 

 the dike or dam should be properly prepared and that the 

 foundation structure itself should be properly built, for upon 

 these two things the success of the whole venture largely de- 

 pends. Many of the dikes and dams that have been examined 

 while visiting ponds in the different parts of the state have 

 shown a lack of proper preparation and poor structural work 

 in their foundations. 



It is a difficult matter to retain water in a pond where there 

 is a little seep or small underflow beneath or through the dike 

 or dam. Most surface soil, even though it is apparently solid 

 and free from holes made by small animals and insects, is 

 more or less porous, due to various things, and especially to 

 the decaying grass and plant roots that it contains. In its 

 natural condition very little surface soil is in proper shape 

 to serve as a good foundation for the bottom of a pond or for 

 the embankments of a dike or dam to rest upon. If the ground 

 where the dike is to be built is covered with grass, weeds or 

 bushes, these should be removed, brush and trees being dug up 

 by the roots and as far as possible the roots themselves re- 

 moved. The* ground for the foundation should be plowed, and 

 when sod is present it should be removed at least for a space 

 several feet wide through the entire center of the foundation. 

 Where the sod is not removed it should at least be thoroughly 

 torn to pieces by using a good harrow, and all the roots and 

 light stuff that the harrow collects should be removed.* Then 

 the ground should be plowed again, throwing the furrows 

 from the center of the foundation. The harrowing and plow- 

 ing should be continued until there is a good and well-formed 

 ditch sloping from the sides to the center of a ditch, which 

 should be several feet wide and from one to two feet deep. 



* For the use of sods in riprapping the dam, see figure 5 and the ac- 

 count of the Ellis-Houchin ponds, pages 27 and 31. 



