Pond Digging in Lebanon, KY: Farm Ponds for Marion County
The pond in this photo was dug in Marion County. Pistol Ridge Land Services builds new farm ponds and cleans out old ones around Lebanon, KY, on the Knobs clay and shale next door to our base.
Farm Ponds Dug in Marion County
A dry pond in August is a real problem when you have cattle to water. Around Lebanon, KY, plenty of farm ponds were built two generations ago and have been filling with silt ever since, and plenty of good hollows have never had a dam across them. Either way, the question is the same: where will a pond catch water, and will the ground under it hold?
Pistol Ridge Land Services is next door in Finley, a short run from Lebanon, and Marion County is ground we know. The pond pictured on this page was dug here. Trey looks at the hollow, the size of the hillside draining into it, and the clay and shale in the banks. Then he builds the dam and shapes a spillway around the end of it. A dam should have its core cut down into tight ground and be built up in packed layers.
When the machines leave you have a finished pond: banks sloped so cattle and mowers can get around them, a dam top wide enough to walk, and the spoil dirt spread and smoothed. Seed and straw on the bare dirt are yours to put down, and we'll tell you where they matter most. You also know what was found in the ground, because Trey tells you as he goes. An old pond near Lebanon that only needs the mud out is a pond cleanout job.
What a Marion County pond job covers
- Dams built across hollows and draws
- Dam sites checked for tight clay
- Spillway shaped around the end of the dam
- Old farm ponds mucked out and deepened
- Brush and trees cleared off the dam
- Spoil smoothed and left ready for seed
Building Ponds in the Knobs Around Lebanon
Knobs clay and shale
Marion County sits where the Bluegrass runs into the Knobs, so much of the ground around Lebanon is steep hills, narrow hollows, shale and clay. That clay packs tight and makes a good dam. The shale is the part to watch. Weathered shale near the surface can be as tight as clay, but layered, broken shale deeper in a cut can let water slip through. We look at what a bank is made of before we count on it.
Hollow ponds, bottom ground and cattle water
Toward Bradfordsville, Gravel Switch and Raywick, the usual job is a dam across a hollow to water cattle on hill pasture. A hollow gives a lot of water for the dirt moved, but it also sends runoff down hard in a storm, so the spillway has to be sized for it. Bottom ground along the Rolling Fork is a different story: flat, sometimes gravelly, and close to a stream with its own rules. On the gentler farms toward Loretto and St. Mary, and on home places at the edge of Lebanon, ponds for fishing and for looks are common too.
Dam height, the Division of Water and local help
Hollow dams get tall fast. Kentucky requires a dam safety permit at 25 feet high or 50 acre-feet of storage, and work in or along a stream can need a stream construction permit, both through the Division of Water. Most farm ponds fall below those numbers, but check yours. The Marion County Conservation District and the NRCS office serving the county give siting advice. We like to build from late summer into fall, when the clay is dry enough to work. Read the Kentucky pond permit guide before you start.
Ponds Jobs We've Done
Real photos from Pistol Ridge job sites. See more work or read about our full pond digging service.
Lebanon & Marion County
We cover Lebanon and the communities around it, including:
Somewhere else? See our full service area or call (270) 272-8739.
Lebanon Ponds FAQ
How much does it cost to dig a pond in Marion County, KY?
There is no flat number, because the price follows the dirt. A dam across a tight hollow moves far less dirt than a pond dug into flat ground, and rock or shale in the cut changes things. Trey looks at the site and gives a straight quote before work starts. Our pond cost guide explains what moves the price.
Does the shale around Lebanon, KY hold water in a pond?
Sometimes. Tight clay over weathered shale can hold well, while broken, layered shale in the side of a cut may let water through. It varies from one hollow to the next in the Knobs. Trey looks at what the banks and the dam site are made of and tells you what he thinks before you spend money on it.
Can you build a pond dam across a Marion County hollow near Bradfordsville or Raywick?
Yes, that is a common Marion County pond. The dam has to be keyed into solid ground, built in packed layers and given a spillway that can pass a hard rain off a steep hillside. If a stream runs down the hollow, check with the Kentucky Division of Water first, because a stream construction permit may apply.
Is the pond in your photos really in Marion County?
Yes. The pond shown at the top of this page was dug by Pistol Ridge Land Services in a field in Marion County. We're based next door in Finley, so Lebanon, Loretto, Raywick, Bradfordsville, St. Mary and Gravel Switch are all close by for us.
More reading: What Does It Cost to Dig a Pond in Kentucky? · Do You Need a Permit to Build a Pond in Kentucky?
From First Call to Final Pass
Reach Out
Call or send the form and tell us where the job is and what needs doing.
Walk the Site
We look at the ground, the access and the scope so there are no surprises.
Get a Quote
You get a straight quote and a plan for the work.
We Dig In
The machines roll in and the job gets done right.
Other Work We Do in Lebanon
Demolition in Lebanon
Houses, barns, outbuildings and fire-damaged structures taken down safely and cleaned up to a clear slab or bare dirt.
See the Lebanon page →Land Clearing in Lebanon
Brush, trees and overgrowth cleared to open up usable land.
See the Lebanon page →Gravel Driveways in Lebanon
New gravel drives, approaches and farm lanes built, and washed-out drives reshaped.
See the Lebanon page →All Services in Lebanon
Everything we do in Lebanon and Marion County.
Lebanon overview →Pond Digging in other towns
Need Ponds in Lebanon?
Call Trey or send the details. You'll get a straight answer on what the job takes.