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S.O.S. Pond / Lake Construction
The pond is a unique ecosystem made of many parts, and to remain in balance these various components must interact and evolve in a natural way. If you think that to build a beautiful pond that it is enough for you to dig a hole and let it fill with water, you could be in for a rude awakening! Before beginning a project of excavation of a lake, a pond or even of water garden, it is important not to neglect the preparation phase which accounts for half of the success of your installation, the other half resting with the expertise of the contractor engaged to carry out the work. In order to guide you through the preliminary stages of your pond project let me suggest some questions to ask before considering the excavation and the precautions to be taken during this important phase.
After having initially defined the best site for the installation of your watery ecosystem, you must investigate the nature of the soil. If the location is wet, it may be due to an outcrop of bed rock or the presence of an impermeable layer which prevents water from infiltrating down deep? Where the 
bed rock is level, the possibility of building a pond is restricted. On the other hand, if the ground is sandy or mainly loose gravel it may be necessary to use of a membrane to line the pond, which will increase the project costs.
Next, investigate the water source available for your pond. Do not build your pond in a brook; not only will you seriously degrade the quality of the brook you will also not be looked favorably upon by the Minister of the Environment. Also, a pond built on a brook tends to be constantly awash with sediments during times of heavy rain. A pond can remain healthy even without major direct water flow from brooks, springs or wells if aeration is added.
After having defined and dealt with these ecological constraints there are other potential troubles to be wary of. Here are some practical recommendations to maintain control over your project and the budget: One of the most common errors consists of wanting to remove excavated material with trucks. The use of trucks will greatly increase the cost of building your pond and should only be used as a last resort if you have insufficient place on your property for material storage. If at all possible try and be present during the excavation process, or hire a professional supervisor to assure a quality and efficient job performance. Ensure your contractor does not bury any large rocks at a depth greater than two feet or, worse yet, that they do not charge you to remove large rocks which they can then sell elsewhere. There are never too many rocks on a pond construction site and they can always be used in the landscaping of the shorelines or in the creation of cascades.
The excavation of a pond is not a thing to be taken lightly and the expertise of the contractor you hire to do the job can make a world of difference. Never choose a contractor without first checking references and seeing a portfolio of previous projects. Ask several firms for cost estimates but remember to analyze the various plans carefully as often a contractor will woo you with a low cost estimate and then as work progresses the costs will multiply and by then you are committed to finishing the project and it has cost many times more than originally planned. A technically realistic evaluation of the project should be a detailed appraisal of all aspects involved and not just rough estimates. In the end you can save yourself much grief and expense by seeking the advice of experts.