On a rural acreage in Melvern, Kansas, James and Shannon already had a beautiful pond. It covered a few acres and averaged about 5 feet deep, but they wanted something they could truly feel immersed in: something much bigger, something that would elevate their investment and become a legacy property their family would enjoy for generations.
Today it’s a sweeping lake of nearly 12 acres, averaging nearly 12 feet deep and reaching close to 20 feet at its deepest points. As pond and lake expansion specialists, we kept the existing water and fish in place throughout the build, turned the old dam into a large new peninsula lined with riprap, and added natural rock fish habitat and a concrete drop inlet built to last for decades.
James and Shannon’s pond was already beautiful, but it wasn’t the experience they were after. They wanted something far more grand, with sweeping views from the home, room for family and friends, and a lake their family would carry forward for generations. They planned it as a recreational, fishing and multipurpose lake.
They also knew who they didn’t want building it. Generalists and local dirt work companies weren’t an option. They wanted an efficient specialist who builds ponds and lakes every single day, and a company that stands behind its work. That’s why they chose Bulletproof Pond & Lake.
One goal mattered above almost everything else: keeping the fish. Many expansions start by draining the existing pond, which would have meant losing the fishery they already had. Growing the lake to several times its size without losing the existing water or fish was the central challenge of this project.
Every project starts with real planning, and this one began with an in-person consultation and on-site evaluation with James and Shannon. From there, we ran a LiDAR survey of the property and designed the expansion in AutoCAD Civil 3D, the same professional civil design software licensed engineers prefer. Using our professional soil drill rig on site, we pulled soil samples and sent them to Kansas State University for lab testing, so the design was built on real data about what’s in the ground, not guesswork.
Our solution was to make the existing dam do double duty. Rather than tearing it out or building a brand-new peninsula from scratch, we planned the expansion so the original dam would stay in place, holding back the existing water and fish while we excavated the new expansion area around it.
Once the expansion was dug, a section of the old dam would be breached, releasing the existing water into the new basin. What remained would become a large new peninsula, lined with riprap. This approach kept the fish, held in the existing water, and saved tremendous cost by reusing the dam instead of building a new peninsula from the ground up.
The design also shaped the lake around the home’s sightlines for sweeping views, and more than doubled the average depth, from about 5 feet to nearly 12 feet with deep points close to 20 feet, giving the fishery far more room to thrive.
We excavated the expansion area around the original dam while it continued holding back the existing water. Once the new basin was ready, we breached a section of the old dam and released the existing water and fish into the expansion. The remaining dam became the new peninsula.
Throughout the build, our GPS-equipped machines worked directly from the 3D design. The plans are loaded right into the machine, which guides the operator to the design grades, slopes and depths in real time. Rather than depending on someone eyeballing grade or having an off day, the machine carries the plan, which cuts down on human error and keeps the work far more accurate across nearly 12 acres.
Laser levels are still a common tool on job sites, and they have their place. They have to be set up, moved as the work progresses, and set and read correctly every time, and each of those steps is a chance for error. With GPS, the system is built into the machine itself and travels with it across the site, with minimal setup or adjustment once construction is underway. On a project spread across nearly 12 acres, that difference adds up quickly. It’s technology we continue to invest in on every project. For a closer look at how we plan, survey and build every pond and lake, read our guide: How to Build a Large Pond or Lake on Your Property (The Real Process)
Riprap went in at the inlet, the dam and along the peninsula’s shoreline. It’s critical for erosion control, protecting the shoreline where water and wave action hit hardest, and it adds a finished, natural appeal to the lake.
Natural rock recycled right from the property became fish habitat structure. Reusing what was already on site saved on cost, kept us from hauling in outside material, and put everything the land had to offer to good use.
We also built a concrete drop inlet with in-house fabricated components and a custom trash rack. The trash rack protects the integrity of the system and the safety of wildlife for decades to come.
To finish, the surrounding disturbed areas were seeded and covered with straw to stabilize the soil while new growth comes in.
Today the lake stretches nearly 12 acres, with the sweeping views from the home that James and Shannon wanted. The owners have since added pond dye, a popular choice among our clients, giving the water a vivid blue color that reminds us of the Caribbean.
It’s already a favorite spot for family and friends. James and Shannon are extremely pleased with the entire process and exceptionally happy with the end result, and the dogs clearly approve too. James and Shannon have big plans to add a beautiful entertaining space on the peninsula, turning it into a gathering place for many generations to come.
The scale of this project is hard to capture, and the photos don’t do it full justice. As the lake naturalizes over the next year or two and more of the couple’s plans come to life, we’ll keep documenting it. More updates are on the way.
James and Shannon’s few-acre pond became a nearly 12-acre sweeping lake, with an average depth of nearly 12 feet, deep points near 20 feet, a large riprap-lined peninsula, riprap at the inlet and dam, natural rock fish habitat and a concrete drop inlet with a custom trash rack.
Most importantly, they kept their fish. Turning the old dam into the new peninsula held in the existing water and fish throughout the expansion, and it saved significant cost compared to building a new peninsula from scratch. It’s a good example of how a true specialist, one who builds ponds and lakes every day, finds creative solutions a generalist might miss, from reusing the old dam as the peninsula to recycling natural rock from the property for fish habitat.
This video gives a quick look at the project from start to now: the original pond, the expansion under construction and the latest update. It’s only a snippet of the full story. The lake is still evolving, and more photos and videos are on the way as it naturalizes and James and Shannon’s plans for the peninsula come to life. If you’re ready to start planning a lake of your own, contact us.
Please note that every pond and lake is different. Each one starts with a purpose, why it’s being built and how it will be used, and that purpose drives how it’s designed. Every project also comes with its own tradeoffs. This page isn’t a step-by-step guide, and it doesn’t cover every step or detail. It’s an overview of a featured project we’re actively documenting, and just one of many, many projects we’ve completed. There’s more to come as this project evolves. Most owners prefer to keep their projects and information private, and we’re grateful these owners let us share theirs.
For a deeper look at how ponds and lakes should be built, and what to ask any builder, read our guide: How to Build a Large Pond or Lake on Your Property (The Real Process)
See more of our work in our pond and lake portfolio, or contact us to start planning your pond or lake.
From a few-acre pond to a sweeping lake, with more updates on the way
“We engaged Bulletproof Ponds to expand our existing 2 acre pond to 12 acres — and are extremely satisfied with this large project. Hunter and KJ were the primary workers on the project and worked consistently day in and day out to complete this nearly 3 month project. They were just excellent — and we are picky folks!!! From the start – Bulletproof ran a professional process from a general conversation, to a site visit, to soil testing and providing topographical maps to make sure we were all on the same page. We also decided to rip rap the dam since it is so big – and that looks like a good decision. T.J. was also excellent in communicating schedules and statuses. The crew respected the cleanliness of our property as well. Just can’t say enough about how well this project went. Now all we need is some good rain next spring!!!!”
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