Serving Ada & South Central Oklahoma
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Pond Construction in Ada, OK

Pond Construction · Ada, OK

Farm and ranch ponds built to hold water.

Pond construction is dirt work with a water problem attached. A pond holds water because of the dam and the dirt inside it. We build farm and ranch ponds around Ada, Oklahoma with a Cat D6 dozer and a 30,000-pound excavator. The work starts with a core trench cut down to tight soil. Then we pack it back full of high clay dirt in thin layers and raise the dam the same way. A spillway gets shaped to carry the big rains. Right now we are building four ponds on one ranch project near Sulphur. Call (580) 344-7473 for a free estimate.

Most of our pond construction sits on acreage outside town. Some are stock ponds for cattle that need to hold through a dry summer. Some are fishing ponds close to the house. A lot of calls are old ponds that silted in and now go dry early. Others are dams that seep, or that washed out on one end after a hard rain. We dig new ponds. We also clean out the silted ones and rebuild dams that failed. Every job starts with the site and the soil, because those two decide whether a pond holds.

What We Handle

  • New farm and ranch pond construction
  • Core trench cut into tight native soil
  • Clay core and dam built in packed lifts
  • Spillways sized to the watershed above the pond
  • Stock ponds for cattle water
  • Fishing ponds shaped for usable depth
  • Cleanout of ponds that silted in
  • Dam repair for seeps and washed out ends

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What makes a pond hold water?

A pond holds water because of the dam and the dirt inside it. Before any dirt moves, we cut a core trench down the middle of the dam line. That trench goes until it reaches a tight layer of native soil. We pack it back full of high clay dirt from the basin in thin layers. The dam goes up the same way, one packed lift at a time. Oklahoma State University says soils with 30 percent or more clay are generally acceptable.

Most pond failures trace back to a short list of shortcuts. Topsoil gets left under the dam footprint. The core trench gets skipped, so water travels under the dam and out the other side. The dirt has too little clay, or too much rock and wood in it. The lifts never get packed. We check basin soil a foot or two down before we quote. Every lift gets packed the same way we handle heavy dirt work across the property.

Where should the pond go?

Two things decide the spot: the shape of the ground and the water that drains to it. The watershed is the land above the pond that sheds rain into it. Too small a watershed and the pond never fills. Too big and the spillway has to move serious water in a storm. We look for a natural draw where a short dam can hold a lot of water. That keeps the dirt volume down. Dirt volume is most of the cost on the excavation side of the job.

Oklahoma has a long history with this work. The Oklahoma Historical Society counted more than 200,000 ponds statewide by the end of the last century. Together they covered about half a million surface acres. Most went in after the 1930s drought so livestock had water. That job has not changed. In 2022 the USDA made 64 Oklahoma counties eligible for livestock drought aid, including help with hauling water. A pond built with extra depth rides out a dry summer better. We set stock ponds so cattle can reach water without cutting up the dam face.

Cleaning out old ponds and dam repair

A lot of ponds around here were dug decades ago and have been filling with silt ever since. The pond looks the same from the bank, but it holds a fraction of what it used to. It goes low in July instead of September. We wait for a draw down, then pull the silt out with the excavator. The dozer pushes the basin back to shape and reworks the slopes. Spoil gets spread on site or hauled off, whichever the ground calls for.

Dam repair starts with finding why it failed. A wet spot on the back slope means water is moving through or under the dam. A washed out end means the spillway could not carry the rain. Some fixes mean cutting in a proper core and rebuilding that section. Others mean reshaping and widening the spillway. Trees on a dam cause the same trouble over time, and thick cedar above the pond is its own job. We handle cedar removal above the water and work the counties we run in from Ada.

Stock pond holding water at the edge of an Oklahoma pasture Excavator working in cross timbers ground where a pond site is being opened up

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Free, no-obligation estimates across Ada & South Central Oklahoma.

(580) 344-7473
What You Can Expect

How a Job With Us Runs

From the first look at the ground to the last pass of the blade, here is exactly how it goes.

1

Tell Us About the Property

Call (580) 344-7473 or send the form. Describe the land, what is on it, and what you want it to become. Photos help.

2

We Come Look

We meet you on the property, look at the growth, the ground and the access, and talk through the right way to do the job.

3

You Get a Real Number

The estimate is free and comes from seeing the land. You know the price and the plan before any machine shows up.

4

The Work Gets Done

The D6 and the excavator show up, the work gets finished, and the property is left clean and usable.

FAQ

Pond Construction Questions, Answered

Common questions about pond construction across Ada & South Central Oklahoma. Don't see yours? Give us a call, we're happy to help.

Call (580) 344-7473

What drives the cost of pond construction?
Dirt volume drives it most, along with how far that dirt has to move. Rock and stumps push the number up, and so does a site short on clay. Market figures for farm ponds run about $3,750 to $13,000, and large ponds fall near $1,400 to $4,800 per acre. A real number takes an on-site look.
Do I need a permit to build a pond in Oklahoma?
Most farm ponds do not. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board requires a permit for a dam over 25 feet tall. It also requires one for storage over 50 acre-feet. An agriculture exemption covers low hazard dams under 25 feet and 100 acre-feet, built with conservation district help. Typical stock ponds sit well below those lines.
How do I know if my site will hold water?
The soil in the basin decides it. We dig test spots a foot or two down and look at what comes up. Soils with 30 percent or more clay are generally acceptable. A mix of clay, sand, and silt packs best. Pockets of sand, gravel, or rock are warning signs. We check that before any dirt moves.
How much land needs to drain into the pond?
Enough to fill it and keep it full through a dry stretch. The watershed is the ground above the pond that sheds rain into the basin. A watershed that is too small leaves the pond low most of the year. One that is too big means a bigger spillway to pass storm water. We size both together.
Can an old pond that leaks be fixed?
Often yes, once we find where the water is going. Leaks under a dam usually mean no core trench tied it into tight soil. Leaks through the basin usually mean sand, gravel, or rock. Fixes include cutting a core in or rebuilding a section of dam. Sealing a basin runs costly, with liner membranes near $10,000 per acre.
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Why Choose Rezz Built

Why Oklahoma Landowners Call Us

Owner On Every Job

The person you call is the person in the machine. You explain the job once, the estimate comes from the one doing the work, and nothing gets lost in a handoff.

Iron Sized for Big Jobs

A Cat D6 dozer, a 30,000-lb excavator and a tracked skid steer under one name. Acreage, ranch and commercial ground is what the equipment was bought for.

Stumps Out, Not Buried

We clear mechanically with the dozer and excavator, roots and all. The ground is left buildable and mowable instead of hiding stumps under a layer of mulch.

Free On-Site Estimates

We look at the property, talk through what it needs, and hand you a real number. The estimate costs nothing and the price comes from seeing the ground.

Guides & Resources

Pond Construction Guides

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Get In Touch With Rezz Built

Cedar taking the pasture, a pad to build, an old house to take down, or a pond you have been thinking about for years? Call or send the form. We come look at the property with you, and the estimate is free, from the owner who runs the machines.

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