Private pond

I like this manual Managing MS Ponds & Small Lakes. Read it from front to back - multiple times.

You don’t say where you are located (state, parish-county) but contact the USDA-NRCS regional office for the state you are located in for assistance (“free” service) for assistance on pond design & construction. LINK.

Lastly, contact your local land-grant university cooperative extension service - they will have a state-wide fisheries-aquaculture extension specialist that can provide some technical assistance.

Of course there are private pond consultants can provide these services for a fee.

step 1: have a soil boring done.
the results of the bore will determine the engineering of your pond

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I’m in CenLa & the wife & I are considering buying another property with plenty of room bc to build at least an acre or so pond.

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When you are ready to speak with them, here is the link to Louisiana USDA-NRCS Service Centers - just put in the parish you are located in, and it will provide you the contact info. LINK

Here is a link to their pond planning and design manual you can download.
LINK

I'm assuming the logical location for a pond would be along a ditch, low area, creek.
Correct?

If it’s located in a low area, a levee is highly recommended or it will silt up and depth will be cut in half in ten years from runoff. Ask me how I know, laugh at my pain.

Have a plan on where to go with the dirt. Go to pondboss.com If you do it right it is easy to maintain.

Bought an 03 Deere 455G and put in a 1/2 acre pond. I put it near the top of our hill. There was scarce topsoil that had been washed downhill and had pretty much exposed the red clay. Talked to a couple retired dozer operators in my area. In Central Tx, evaporation becomes a concern on larger ponds, probably not an issue in your case. Flow through ponds get unwanted fish and loss of desirable fish. I keep mine topped off with our well and do irrigate from it when necessary. I sold the Deere when pond and other projects were done for more than I paid, which did offset fuel cost. I was not efficient with the hours with only tractor loader experience prior, but it sure was fun.