� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � second edition • Nebraska Pond Management • 83
CALCULATING THE SURFACE AREA
AND VOLUME OF A POND
P
resented below are formulas for calculating the surface area of a pond. Pick a shape that
most closely resembles the pond and measure the necessary distances in feet. Put these
measurements into the appropriate equation and multiply to find the surface area in square feet.
Surface area in acres is simply obtained by dividing the surface area by the number of square feet
in an acre (43,560). If a pond is irregular in shape, the best thing to do is divide it into workable
shapes and then add the areas of the smaller units together to get the area of the whole.
CIRCLE = 3.14 x radius
2
EXAMPLE: pond radius 100 feet x 100 feet x
3.14 = 31,400 square feet total surface area
÷ 43,560 = .72 surface acre
RECTANGLE = length x width EXAMPLE: pond length 250 feet x
width 150 feet = 37,500 square feet total
surface area ÷ 43,560 = .86 surface acre
TRIANGLE = base x height EXAMPLE: pond base 300 feet x
2 height 150 feet = 45,000 square feet ÷
2 = 22,500 total surface area ÷ 43,560
= .52 surface acre
APPENDIX C
radius
(100')
length
(250')
width
(150')
base
(300')
height
(150')
