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 | About This Guide & Symbols |
| About Farm Planning |
| Conservation Practices & Options |
6. Sediment control pond
A water impoundment made by constructing a dam or an embankment, or by excavating a pit or dugout.
| How it works |
Helps maintain or improve water quality by preventing sediment from reaching local streams.
| How it helps |
Captures eroding soil and protects water quality by collecting and storing runoff water. Provides water for wildlife.
| Planning ahead |
Will alternative best management practices solve the problem or be more cost-effective?
Is the soil at the proposed site capable of holding water?
Tech notes Ask NRCS for design and construction specifications.
To qualify for cost-share assistance, the pond must reduce sediment by 50 tons per year and the "before soil loss" in the watershed must exceed "T."
To qualify for cost-share assistance, the agricultural activity must occur on tile property where the pond is to be constructed wetland the agricultural activity must be the cause of pollutants within the watershed.
The landowner should secure necessary permits.
A natural or constructed spillway should be available.
The sediment trapping characteristics of the pond must not be impaired by any design feature or intended future use of the pond.
To receive cost-share assistance, a soil conservation and water quality plan is required for the farm on which the pond is to be constructed.
| Maintenance |
- Inspect the pond periodically - especially following heavy rains - to determine whether it is functioning properly.
- Maintain a grass cover on the dam and spillway. Mow annually to control weeds and woody vegetation
- Reseed bare or poorly vegetated areas, lime and fertilize at least every three years.