Pond Construction Services

Red Dirt Contracting is a family-owned company with over 10 years of experience building ponds throughout Upstate South Carolina. We understand what it takes to build one that actually holds water.

We start every pond construction project with a proper site evaluation where we assess soil composition, drainage patterns, topography, and watershed size to determine whether your site can support a pond and where it should go.

A pond built in the wrong location or without attention to these factors will struggle to hold water, erode after heavy rain, or require expensive fixes down the line. We work through all of these details upfront so the pond we build works with your land and lasts for decades.

Types of Ponds We Build

We build ponds for different purposes, and the design changes depending on how you plan to use it. A fishing pond needs different depth and structure than a farm pond built for livestock, and a recreational pond has its own considerations for access and aesthetics.

Farm Ponds

If you have livestock that need a reliable water source or crops that require irrigation, a well-placed pond can handle both while adding long-term value to the land.

We build farm ponds sized for your actual needs, with the right depth and capacity to refill naturally from runoff and drainage throughout the year.

Fishing Ponds

A good fishing pond requires more than just water and depth. The shape affects how fish move and where they feed, and the depth profile determines whether fish can survive hot summers and cold winters in South Carolina.

We build fishing ponds with proper depth variations, shelf areas for habitat, and overall design that supports stocking and gives you something worth casting a line into.

Recreational Ponds

Some property owners want a pond for swimming, paddling, or simply having something to look at from the back porch. Recreational ponds need clean edges, safe entry points, and the right depth profile for how you plan to use them.

We build these with both aesthetics and usability in mind so you end up with a pond you actually want to spend time around.

Our Pond Construction Process

Building a pond is more than digging a hole and waiting for it to fill with water. Done wrong, you end up with a pond that leaks, erodes after every heavy rain, or turns into a muddy mess within a few years. A well-built pond requires understanding the land first and then executing each phase of construction correctly.

Site Evaluation

Before any equipment arrives, we walk your property and assess the options. We look at soil composition to determine if the ground will hold water, evaluate drainage patterns to understand how runoff will feed the pond, and review the topography to find the best natural location.

Not every spot that looks good will actually support a pond, and sometimes the best location is not where you first imagined.

Excavation and Dam Construction

Once the site is set, we excavate the pond basin to the proper depth and shape. The material we dig out gets used to build the dam, which is not just a pile of dirt but a compacted structure designed to hold back water pressure without leaking or failing over time.

Compaction is critical here, and rushing this step is one of the most common reasons ponds fail.

Spillway Installation

Every pond needs a way to handle excess water. Without a properly designed spillway, overflow runs over the dam and erodes it until the whole thing fails.

We install spillways that direct excess water safely away from the dam structure so heavy rains do not undo years of work.

Grading and Cleanup

When the pond structure is complete, we grade the surrounding area, shape the banks to the correct slope so they do not collapse over time, and clean up the site.

You will not be left with ruts, equipment tracks, or piles of debris to deal with after we leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are considering building a pond on your property, you probably have questions about cost, timeline, permits, and whether your land can support one. Below are the answers to the most common questions we hear from property owners.

How much does it cost to build a pond?

The cost to build a pond depends on several factors, including size, soil conditions, how much clearing is needed, and how easily we can access your site with equipment. A small quarter-acre pond on open ground with good soil will cost significantly less than a two-acre pond on a heavily wooded hillside with rocky terrain.

Because of these variables, we do not quote prices without seeing the property first. We evaluate your land, discuss what you want to accomplish, and provide a quote based on the actual scope of work involved.

How long does it take to build a pond?

Most ponds take one to three weeks of active work, depending on size and site conditions. A straightforward half-acre pond on accessible land moves faster than a larger pond that requires significant clearing or difficult soil work.

Weather also affects the timeline. We cannot properly compact dam material when the ground is saturated, so extended rainy periods can push the schedule out. We keep you informed throughout the project and do not rush through critical steps just to stay on a timeline.

How big of a property do I need?

There is no hard minimum acreage, but you generally need at least a few acres to build a pond that fills and maintains water levels naturally. The pond itself might only take up half an acre, but the watershed feeding it needs to be large enough to supply water through dry periods.

During the site evaluation, we look at how much land drains toward the pond location and whether that is sufficient for the size pond you want. If the watershed is too small, we will tell you upfront rather than build something that struggles to hold water.

Do I need a permit to build a pond in South Carolina?

Permit requirements depend on pond size, location, and whether any streams or wetlands are involved. Small ponds on private property that do not impact any waterways often do not require permits. Larger projects or anything near existing streams, wetlands, or flood zones may need approval from state or local agencies.

The rules vary by county and situation, so there is no single answer that applies to everyone. We can help you figure out what applies to your property and point you in the right direction if permits are needed.

How deep should a pond be?

For fishing ponds in South Carolina, we typically recommend at least 8 to 10 feet in the deepest section. This depth gives fish a cool refuge during hot summers when surface water gets too warm, and it prevents winter kill when shallow ponds can freeze or lose oxygen.

Shallower ponds work fine for other purposes like irrigation, livestock watering, or aesthetics. But if you want to stock fish and actually catch something, depth matters. We design the pond profile based on how you plan to use it.

Will my pond hold water?

Soil composition is the biggest factor in whether a pond holds water. Clay-heavy soils seal naturally and hold water well. Sandy, gravelly, or rocky soils often do not, and water seeps out through the bottom and sides.

There are solutions for difficult soil, including hauling in clay to line the pond or using bentonite, which is a natural mineral that swells when wet and seals the pond bottom. The best approach is to assess soil conditions during the site evaluation so you understand what you are working with before any construction begins.

How long until the pond fills up?

Fill time depends on the watershed size, local rainfall, and whether any springs or drainage channels feed the pond directly. Some ponds fill within a few months during a wet season. Others take a full year or more of normal rainfall to reach their intended water level.

We design ponds with adequate watershed so they fill and maintain levels naturally over time. If your site has limited drainage feeding the pond location, we discuss that upfront so you have realistic expectations about how long it will take.

Can you build a pond on a slope?

Yes, and most ponds are actually built on sloped land. A slope works in your favor because you can build a dam across the low side and let the natural terrain form the pond basin behind it. This approach requires less excavation than building on flat ground where you have to dig out the entire pond volume.

The key is matching the pond design to the topography of your property. During the site evaluation, we identify where the land naturally wants to hold water and design around that.

What happens to all the dirt?

Excavated material gets used to build the dam, which is the most important structural element of the pond. The dirt we dig out becomes the compacted barrier that holds back the water, so very little is wasted.

If there is excess material beyond what the dam requires, we can spread it on-site to build up low areas, create access roads, or level other parts of your property. If you want it hauled off entirely, we can do that too. We discuss the plan during the initial consultation so you know what to expect.