(605) 600-6045Contact Us
Call (605) 600-6045Request a Quote
Aerial view of a pond project, with haul trucks moving material along the bank
Western SD & NE Wyoming

Pond Construction & Excavation in Western South Dakota

Black River Contracting builds ponds across Western South Dakota and Northeast Wyoming: stock dams and dugouts for cattle, farm ponds, and acreage ponds for wildlife, fire protection or just a place to look at. We’re based in Summerset, near Rapid City, and dig with excavators, dozers and haul trucks sized to the job.

A good pond starts with the right spot: enough drainage to fill it, soil that holds water, and room for a spillway so a big rain doesn’t take the dam out. Most of that is decided before the first scoop of dirt.

The ponds we build

  • Stock dams across a draw, with a core trench, the dam built up in thin compacted lifts, and a spillway cut into solid ground that carries floods around the dam.
  • Dugouts on flat ground, dug deep enough to carry water through a dry summer, with a sloped edge where cattle can drink.
  • Farm and acreage ponds, shaped with gentle edges and a deep end so they don’t turn into a weed patch.

How a pond gets built

  1. Pick the spot together. We walk the site with you and look at the drainage, the slope, access for equipment, and where the spoil and topsoil can go.
  2. Test the soil. Test holes across the pond and dam footprint show whether there’s enough clay to hold water, or whether the pond needs clay hauled in or a liner.
  3. Locates and permits. We call in utility locates. You check with DANR in South Dakota, or the State Engineer in Wyoming, and with NRCS if you’re applying for cost-share.
  4. Strip and dig. Topsoil comes off first and is saved. Then we dig the basin and build the dam, compacting the fill in layers.
  5. Spillway and finish. The spillway goes in, the edges are shaped, and the topsoil goes back on so the disturbed ground can be seeded before the next runoff.

Rebuilding an old pond?

If an existing pond has silted in, see pond dredging and silt removal. If the dam leaks, seeps or has washed out, see dam repair and cleanout.

Common questions

How much does it cost to dig a pond?
It depends on the size and depth, how much dirt has to move and how far, the soil, whether there's a dam and spillway to build, and how far we travel to the site. We look at the site with you and give you a number for your pond, not a per-acre guess.
Will my pond hold water?
It depends on the soil. Ponds hold water where there's enough clay in the bottom and banks. Sandy or gravelly ground, or fractured rock, can leak, and may need clay hauled in or a liner. We dig test holes before building to see what's down there.
Do I need a permit to build a pond in South Dakota?
Often only a Location Notice. DANR's Water Rights Program accepts one for a dam on a dry draw or nonnavigable stream that holds 25 acre-feet or less, with the water used right there for stock or wildlife. Bigger dams, or ones you pump or pipe water out of, need a water right permit approved before you build. Check with DANR first.
What about Wyoming?
In Wyoming, stock reservoirs and other ponds go through the State Engineer's Office. Check with them before we dig, and we'll build to whatever they approve.
Can NRCS help pay for a stock pond?
Sometimes. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service can help design livestock water ponds, and programs like EQIP sometimes share the cost. Talk to your local NRCS field office before the work starts, because they usually need to approve the plan first.
What's the difference between a stock dam and a dugout?
A stock dam holds runoff behind an earth dam built across a draw. A dugout is a pit dug into flat ground with no dam, filled by runoff or groundwater. A dam stores more water from a big drainage but needs a spillway; a dugout works on flat ground and has no dam to maintain.

Learn more about Farm & Ranch Improvements

Ready to break ground?

Every site is different. We'll walk it with you and give you a straight answer, with a clear scope and an honest estimate.

Request a quote(605) 600-6045