This is a bit of the same question I asked previously, but with a little different direction...

Having recently aquired a property with a fairly small (about 20'x30') pond I find myself needing to deal with the pond as I clean up the property.

This "pond" does not appear to have a steady source of inflow - to the best that I can observe the only inflow is from various forms of run-off (yard, possibly gutters, etc).

The outflow, as limited as it is, seems to be mostly due to water seeping through the impoundment wall and across the pasture. Near as I can tell it doesn't even really have a watercourse - it just kinda fades away before it reaches the end of the property and the neighbors house...

As it is the water is brackish, stagnant, full of leaves, cattails, and such - more swampy puddle than pond. There are some willows on the banks among the overgrown brush which we'd like to keep. There are also bugs, snakes, and who knows what else that we'd like to be rid of (or reduce). Other than the willows the whole thing needs to be cleaned out, the banks shored up, etc, etc.

So my question is this:

Given that we hope to raise some sheep, possibly a cow or horse or two, and raise some crops, is there enough merit in this "mess" in terms of water storage to justify spending the time and money to clean it up and reinforce it's inflow with a directed run-off collection plan (and possibly supplemental supply from the well)....

Or should I simply drain it, doze it level with the surrounding pasture, and enjoy the additional space I'll recover?

In simpler terms I guess I'm asking what the merits of impounding rain run-off in an open basin this size are - and do you think they justify the labor and expense??

Thanks,

Gregg