Pond Building – Commercial

Commercial pond construction in Indiana usually means building stormwater detention and retention ponds for businesses and developments, along with larger ponds on commercial properties. Jordan Excavating LLC excavates, shapes and stabilizes these ponds to the engineer’s plan across 20 central and southeast Indiana counties, from Greensburg to Indianapolis.

Key Takeaways

• Most commercial ponds in Indiana are built to manage stormwater, either holding a permanent pool (retention) or releasing runoff slowly after storms (detention).
• Location depends on soil, water table, slope and drainage area; Purdue Extension notes clay and silty clay loam soils hold water best.
• Pond construction disturbs ground, so IDEM’s Construction Stormwater General Permit applies when a project disturbs 1 acre or more.
• Larger dams can need Indiana DNR approval, and excavating or filling in a floodway requires DNR approval first.
• Jordan Excavating LLC builds commercial ponds and handles the related grading, storm sewer and drainage work.

What Is The Difference Between A Detention And Retention Pond?

These two terms show up on almost every commercial site plan. Both manage runoff from roofs, parking lots and drives, but they work differently:

• Retention pond (wet pond): holds a permanent pool of water. Runoff flows in, sediment settles and water leaves through an outlet structure at a controlled rate.
• Detention pond (dry pond): stays mostly dry between storms. It fills during heavy rain and drains down through a sized outlet over a set period.

Which type your project gets is decided by the civil engineer and the stormwater rules where you build, whether that’s Indianapolis, Carmel, Columbus or a county jurisdiction. Our job is to build it to plan: excavate to design grades, shape the side slopes, set inlet and outlet pipes and structures, compact embankments and stabilize the banks so they hold up. We often tie the pond into the commercial drainage and storm sewer work on the same site.

How Do You Choose The Right Location For A Pond?

The right spot is about more than looks. Purdue Extension’s Indiana Ponds publication points to several factors we check on every site:

• Soil: clay and silty clay loam soils hold water best, while sand, gravel and fractured rock can leak and need costly sealing.
• Drainage area: Purdue suggests roughly 3 to 5 acres of watershed per acre-foot of water stored in Indiana, so the pond fills without being overwhelmed.
• Ground stability: swampy areas can’t support the weight of an embankment.
• Slope and water table: these affect how much digging is needed and where water will sit.

On commercial sites, the location is often set by the engineer’s drainage design. Even then, what we find in the ground matters. We flag soil or groundwater problems early so they can be addressed before the pond is finished.

What Permits Are Needed To Build A Commercial Pond In Indiana?

Permit needs depend on the pond’s size, where it sits and how much ground the overall project disturbs. The main ones we see:

• IDEM Construction Stormwater General Permit: required for construction that disturbs 1 acre or more, or a smaller site within a larger common plan of development.
• Indiana DNR dam approval: needed for a high hazard dam when the drainage area above it is more than 1 square mile, it is more than 20 feet tall or it impounds more than 100 acre-feet. Significant or low hazard dams need approval when they meet more than one of those size criteria.
• Indiana DNR floodway approval: required before excavating, filling or building an obstruction in a floodway.
• Local review: county surveyors, plan commissions and city stormwater departments often review drainage plans.

We build from the approved plans and help keep the site in compliance while the work is underway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to the questions we hear most often about this service.

How long does it take to build a commercial pond?

The timeline depends on pond size, soil conditions, weather and how quickly permits and plan approvals come through. Excavation can move quickly once the site is open, but setting structures, stabilizing banks and establishing vegetation take time. Jordan Excavating LLC gives you a realistic schedule after reviewing your plans and walking the site.

How deep should a pond be in Indiana?

Depth depends on the pond’s purpose. Purdue Extension notes that Indiana farm ponds are generally at least eight feet deep, while stormwater detention and retention ponds on commercial sites are built to the depths in the engineer’s design. We excavate to plan grades and check them with GPS-guided equipment as we go.

Can a pond be built on sandy or gravelly soil?

It can, but it is harder. Purdue Extension says sand, gravel and fractured rock let water seep out and often need costly sealing with bentonite or a liner. Clay and silty clay loam soils hold water best, so we look closely at the soil before and during excavation and raise concerns early.

Do you build ponds for homes and farms too?

Yes. Jordan Excavating LLC builds residential ponds and farm ponds as well as commercial stormwater ponds. See our residential ponds and agricultural pond building pages, or read how ponds can improve your property. Every pond gets the same attention to soil, slope and drainage.

Where do you build commercial ponds?

We are based in Greensburg and build commercial ponds across 20 Indiana counties, including Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Bartholomew, Decatur and Shelby. That includes Indianapolis, Carmel, Noblesville, Greenwood, Columbus and Shelbyville. Call (812) 371-6999 or request a free estimate to get your project on our schedule.

Get A Free Estimate

Planning a commercial site that needs a detention or retention pond? Send us your plans through our free estimate form or call (812) 371-6999 and we’ll give you a straightforward quote.

Related services: Commercial Drainage | Commercial Site Prep | Commercial Rough and Finish Grading

Written by Cameron Jordan, owner of Jordan Excavating LLC, serving central and southeast Indiana for 10+ years. Last updated: October 22, 2026.

Sources: Purdue Extension: Indiana Ponds (ID-409-W) | IDEM: Applicability of the CSGP | Indiana DNR Division of Water: Permit Application Types