Land topography and feasibility of an elevated-excavated fish Pond a technical version Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

In Khyber Agency fish ponds were constructed under a Developmental scheme “Promotion of Farm Fisheries in Khyber Agency” under the supervision of the Directorate of Fisheries FATA during 2003 to 2009. The purpose of this study is to highlight a significant difference between water and soil level (Land Topography) before construction and between water and bed level of fish pond after construction of an excavated-elevated fish ponds. In this developmental project twenty fish ponds were constructed from 2003 to 2009 in Khyber Agency. Out of twenty constructed fish ponds, eight fish ponds were selected as a sample for study. In these eight samples ponds we checked and measured these differences by using different data collection tools, and those fish ponds, which possess less than two foot difference between water and soil level (Land Topography) before construction were assigned not feasible for excavated-elevated fish pond construction. The fish ponds which have two or more than two foot difference between water and soil level (Land Topography) before construction were assigned feasible for an excavated-elevated fish pond. Digging was make the dike height of pond in such pattern if (digging= dikes height) 1=2, 2=4, 4=8 in feet, simply digging was make a dike of its doublein height and dike slope of its triple, however slope of dike depend on land topography, compaction and its width (thickness).In some fish pond excavation was very difficult due to the selection of hard, stony soil, and as well as those ponds excavated for only one foot while using a tractor so due to its hard nature of soil it was not assigned feasible. It is concluded, that for the construction of an excavated elevated fish pond a minimum difference of two feet inland topography must be required before construction and such a pond when excavated up to two feet can retain maximum of four feet water.