Pond & Lake Construction in East & South Texas
From cattle tanks to fishing lakes, Graham Land Services builds water features that hold water, handle rain, and stand up to Texas summers. Since 2010, we’ve shaped and sealed ponds across ranches and large residential tracts—combining soil testing, correct compaction, and drainage-smart design for long-term performance.
Request An Estimate
New Ponds, Rebuilds, and Leak Fixes
Whether you’re starting fresh, deepening and reshaping an older pond, or chasing a leak, we can help. We evaluate your soils, watershed, and elevations, then design a pond that fills consistently, protects the dam, and fits your property’s use—livestock, irrigation, fishing, or a scenic centerpiece.
Our Step-by-Step Pond Building Process
We meet on site to size the project, confirm shape, depth targets, and intended use (livestock, fishing, irrigation, aesthetic). We flag access routes, utilities, fence lines, and desirable trees to preserve, and note soil moisture, existing drainage, and haul-off/burn options to streamline logistics.
Good ponds catch runoff from the right acreage. We study contours to place the basin at a natural low, toe of slope, or swale. If needed, we add subtle ditches/berms to steer rainfall into the pond while protecting roads, pads, and neighbors from erosion or unintended flow.
Before digging, we read the soil profile for clay content and plasticity. Often within an hour we know if native material will seal; when marginal, we’ll pull a soil sample and design amendments (additional clay, conditioning, or liner strategies) to ensure long-term water retention.
We strip and stockpile topsoil for later reuse, then excavate to water-holding clays—commonly 4–6 ft down depending on the site. On the downhill side, we form a dam with a 2:1 slope for safe tractor mowing and a 10–12 ft crest for vehicle access. Trees/brush are cleared from dam zones to prevent root leaks and water loss.
Along the dam’s base we cut a 2–3 ft deep trench and pack it with quality clay. This keyway interrupts seepage paths beneath the dam—critical insurance on larger or deeper ponds and lakes.
After shaping to design depth, we spread ~1 ft of clay across bottom and banks and compact it in controlled lifts using sheepsfoot compactors, dozers, and skid steers. Proper moisture content, lift thickness, and slope ensure the liner bonds and stays sealed. We avoid overly steep sidewalls—they won’t compact or hold a liner reliably.
Using laser levels, we set the normal water elevation and build the outlet to match: concrete spillways or culvert pipes for larger lakes; graded overflow ditches for smaller ponds. Correct outlets protect the dam, prevent overtopping, and reduce downstream washouts during heavy rains.
We blend banks, shape access, respread saved topsoil where useful, and seed or hydromulch disturbed areas to control erosion as the pond fills. On request, we can add fish habitat (brush piles, upturned stumps, ledges) and recommend a practical maintenance plan for banks and vegetation.
We build our dams at a 2-1 slope so they can be safely maintained and mowed on a tractor. Additionally, we usually have a 10-12 ft wide flat spot across the top of the dam for vehicle access to a road to make sure every area of your land is still easily accessible.
Another challenge to consider when building a dam is how the surrounding trees will affect the dam. Trees and brush on a dam are not good for the pond. The root system goes through the dam and can cause the dam to leak. Another problem is that the trees take a lot of water from your pond themselves. This can make it difficult for your pond to retain water.
Once the dam is formed and all the topsoil is removed we install a keyway along the base of the dam. A keyway is basically a large trench usually 2-3 feet deep along the base of the dam that is filled and compacted with clay. The keyway keeps water from leaking underneath the dam. These are especially important on larger lakes where we excavate the lake to a very deep level.
How Deep Should Your Pond Be?
Depth depends on overall size and width. As a guide, ¼–½ acre ponds typically finish 8–12 ft deep; ~1 acre may run 12–20 ft. For fish:
Bass, crappie, perch: generally 8–10 ft minimum zones
Catfish: often 10–14 ft works well
We can place fish habitat—upturned stumps, brush piles, and structure—to improve fishing and protect bait fish.
If a pond won’t hold or drops fast in dry spells, we investigate likely causes: poor compaction, insufficient clay, tree roots in the dam, or uncontrolled seepage under the embankment. Solutions range from re-compaction and clay lifts to keyway installs, liner amendments, reshaping banks, and re-setting the overflow.
Access, Safety, and Tree Strategy
We build ponds that are as usable as they are durable—with safe dam slopes for mowing, a wide crest for access, and banks that won’t crumble underfoot. We also protect healthy, non-invasive trees that add shade and beauty while removing species and placements that threaten the dam or drink your pond dry.
Build on Solid Water—Let’s Plan Your Pond
Tell us your goals—livestock water, fishing, irrigation, or a scenic lake—and we’ll map a clear, cost-smart plan: site selection, soils, dam and keyway, liner compaction, and spillways. Expect a clean, itemized estimate and a realistic timeline. Call (936) 203-6910 to schedule an on-site visit and free estimate.