This comprehensive six hour course describes basic design principles of embankment and excavation ponds as well as construction requirements.  Other topics include: water needs, preliminary soil investigations, watershed & stormwater runoff estimation, basin sealing, spillways and inlets, and operation/maintenance. 

The course study file consists of the document, USDA, Agriculture Handbook 590, “Ponds – Planning, Design, Construction.”

Upon completion of this course, the learner will:

• Be familiar with the general features of embankment and excavated ponds and the differences between them.
• Be familiar with the items to be covered in a preliminary investigation.
• Be able to estimate storm water runoff quantity and rate using the runoff curve number method.
• Be able to estimate the time of concentration for a watershed for a given flow length, average watershed slope, and runoff curve number.
• Be familiar with the general features of a hooded or canopy inlet spillway and drop inlet spillway, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each.
• Be able to make spillway design calculation using table and figures available in the course document.
• Be able to estimate embankment end area for known embankment height, side slopes, and top width.
• Be able to estimate earthfill requirements for an embankment for known end areas and embankment lengths.
• Be familiar with alternative pond sealing methods and comparisons among them.