Lake & Pond Projects

The Owners Bob & Julie Barrows had a vision for a pond that would serve as a focal point and source of entertainment on their approximately 100 acres of hill country in Kendalia, TX. Having had a 20 acre lake at their previous residence in east Texas, this pond had some big shoes to fill.  Pond building in the heart of the hill country is a completely different ball game.  This pond build involved a geomembrane pond liner and lots of bedrock excavation, making it impractical to rivial their previous body of water in surface area.  However, what the one acre bass pond lacks in size, it makes up for in natural beauty.  This is on full display in the award winning creek feature that was added to the pond.

This private fishing pond was built on a 30 acre private residence located on the shore of Lake Travis.  The project includes two waterfalls, approximately 120 feet of natural boulder retaining wall, a wetland or bog type water filter system, and a robust air difuser aeration system.  The pond doubles as an irrigation pond as water is pumped from a wet well to irrigate the property.

The Bendigo Ranch project includes 3 seperate ponds connected by various creek and waterfall features.  The gallery includes only photos from the 2 acre pond at the downstream end of the system as the finishing touches on the overall project are still in the works.  We are looking forward to featuring the entire project once everything grows in, but for now here's a sample. 

This 400 foot long creek connects Hurst creek bass pond shown above to Lake Travis through an elaborate series of rocky streams, pools, and waterfalls.  The grand finale being a 30 foot vertical drop into the lake.

Wildcatter ridge is a beautiful property off of Hamilton Pool Rd.  The pond features a beach entry, 200 feet of limestone bulkhead with 10 color changing LED underwater lights mounted in the wall, and one heck of a view.

The Weis Creek project consists of approximately 100 ft of natural boulder stream that flows into a pond which extends to both side of the road.  In addition to the gorgeous native boulders used to conceal the liner and compose the stream bed, large pieces of petrified wood found on the property were incorporated into the surface of the creek bed. 

This feature is separated into two bodies of water: a 1 acre bass fishing pond and a wetland area directly upstream.   Water is pumped from the big pond to the wetland where aquatic vegetation is used to remove excess nutrients and clean the water before it returns to the main pond over a rock dam waterfall.  Earth covered lake lining was used throughout to ensure the feature remains 100% water tight.

We were hired by the builder in a design and supervision capacity.  Our role was to supervise construction, as well as to redesign the original plan set, so the lake would look better and be built more efficiently.

Built in what was originally a muddy bog, this creak construction project in Blanco, TX was transformed into a 350 foot long re-circulating creek.

In between Boerne and Bulverde, TX is a 50 acre tract of land that the Wainner family has transformed into a one of a kind homestead that doubles as a hill country rural retreat for their family and guests.   Adding to the serenity of the landscape is a fishing pond and creek feature that provides the perfect setting for enjoying nature.

This 120 foot long manmade creek recirculates water from an adjoining one acre bass pond at a rate of 300GPM.

This natural beauty won Pond Trade Magazine's 2020 Water Artisans of the Year Award in the "Most Naturalistic" category, and graced the cover of the March/April Issue.

This PVC lined private fishing lake includes a natural stone bulkhead type retaining wall, a fishing dock with LED fish lights, aeration, and various submerged fish habitat features.  

A creek feature was added to the upstream end of the pond that winds through a shaded oak grove creating the perfect spot to sit in the shade and enjoy the tranquil sounds of flowing water. 

The Sweet Serengeti Ranch offers guests the opportunity to interact with an impressive assortment of free roaming African wildlife.  In addition to wildlife viewing, guests can unwind on the water with a fishing pole or a glass of wine under the covered dock.

Before Ed & Carolyn had a creek side wine bar, they had just a wine bar.  Which was very nice, but the addition of a pristine live water creek made this retreat something special.

When people see pictures of Shellman Creek they often ask what it was that we did to it.  Believe it or not, the area was once just a muddy ditch in a canyon.  We excavated and shaped the stream channel, placed all the rocks, and installed a re-circulation system.  The rock work and surrounding landscape make this man-made creek look as if it has always been there.

Before we built Shellman Creek (above), we built Shellman Pond.  Mike had a large hole in the middle of his otherwise immaculate ranch that was originally intended to be a pond.  After multiple attempts at making the hole hold water, he was about to give up on his dream of having a fly fishing pond on his property.  Then he called us, and about a month later that dream became a reality.

The key to a natural swim pond is to create the perfect aquatic environment that naturally removes the factors that contribute to algae growth.

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Naturally clean water provides a swimming experience far superior to a traditional swimming pool.  If you have ever experienced the cleansing effect of floating down the Guadalupe River, you know what I'm talking about.