Dirt Moving What to buy to repair a fishing pond

[oosik]

You are thinking of using some type of wheeled TLB to clean up the pond and fix the dam. I think you will be spending a lot of your time getting a unit such as that unstuck. With a wheeled unit - you are only going to be able to "poke around" the edges of the problem and not get in and solve it.

I would suggest a tracked excavator that you can use or have the job contracted out. You are going to have a world of muck to get rid of also.

This entire project may be bigger than you estimate and not something for a single individual to take on. I can also see permits being required for mods made to a natural stream and an impoundment(pond). You might want to have a local contractor take a look and see what he has to say.

 

[JRobyn]

IMHO, whenever I have seen SUCCESSFUL pond work for anything except little bitty ponds, it has involved a LARGE excavator. Any other tool winds up taking 10 times as long and produces poor results.

Of course, a $1/2 mil or more excavator isn't something to casually buy (for most folks), so that makes this a "hire" job.

 

[crmorse]

As an owner of an L47 that I've attempted to use for some smaller jobs like yours I'd have to agree with everything said above. Anything more than 1" deep of mud and your TLB is going to be stuck, 4WD be danged. I also happen to have a track loader and it works much better but I've gotten it pretty close to stuck a number of times too as the tracks trench the mud out from under me and I end up "floating" on my belly pan. For a big project like that you need a big dozer or excavator to move the dirt. Now, all that said, I am also a card carrying member of the DIY club and loath to hire out something that I could do myself, given the right tools. And doing that, I've probably spent more on diesel farting around with my TLB and loader clearing trees than it would have cost to just hire a good sized dozer for a day. YYMV (your milage may vary)

 

[Manofthehouse]

I do appreciate the comments, and everyone's input, but I have decided that I am going to get a Kubota L35, L39, or L48. I never said I was going to be in a hurry to get it done. Long term I will get more use out of a Kubota TLB because of the 3 point hitch, and the fact that I can tow it with my 2500HD. I should be able to get it done over the next several months working a few evenings through the week, and on Saturday mornings. the Pond actually gets a lot lower from next few months through spring and a good portion of the sediment will be dry. If I dig out a good size hole, and make trenches to it, I can keep the pond pumped down to that point. This is about a 70 year old pond, so If i remove the sediment and make repairs to the existing dam, I do not see what would keep it from lasting another 70 years.

 

[Manofthehouse]

As an owner of an L47 that I've attempted to use for some smaller jobs like yours I'd have to agree with everything said above. Anything more than 1" deep of mud and your TLB is going to be stuck, 4WD be danged. I also happen to have a track loader and it works much better but I've gotten it pretty close to stuck a number of times too as the tracks trench the mud out from under me and I end up "floating" on my belly pan. For a big project like that you need a big dozer or excavator to move the dirt. Now, all that said, I am also a card carrying member of the DIY club and loath to hire out something that I could do myself, given the right tools. And doing that, I've probably spent more on diesel farting around with my TLB and loader clearing trees than it would have cost to just hire a good sized dozer for a day. YYMV (your milage may vary)

I have a feeling you may actually see where I am coming from on this. I hate to pay some one to do something that I can do myself. Plus I enjoy it, this type stuff is my golf, or my trip to the beach. I have had my B7200 stuck a few times, but I always knew I was going to get it stuck before I did, but I have always managed to get it out.

 

[newbury]

Well as far as I'm concerned -
GO FOR IT!!
and provide a write up and pictures.

 

[Ivan49]

One more thing is what is the EPA going to say about digging around a spring or creek. I have several springs I would like to enlarge and make into a pond but I don't want the big fine for doing it

 

[rustyshakelford]

One more thing is what is the EPA going to say about digging around a spring or creek. I have several springs I would like to enlarge and make into a pond but I don't want the big fine for doing it

I can't comprehend the level of intrusion y'all have into your life by the local government. Not just MI but lots of those northern states.

Brett

 

[rustyshakelford]

One more thing is what is the EPA going to say about digging around a spring or creek. I have several springs I would like to enlarge and make into a pond but I don't want the big fine for doing it

I can't comprehend the level of intrusion y'all have into your life by the local government. Not just MI but lots of those northern states.

Brett

 

[Ivan49]

I can't comprehend the level of intrusion y'all have into your life by the local government. Not just MI but lots of those northern states.

Brett

Thats what happens when you live in a swamp. LOL Don't want to get caught peeing in the water