I dug me a pond --

[Unregistered2013]

well, this past july, i had the hankering to dig me a pond --

-- so after some blessings from the town and the conservation group, i rented me this --

and then i simply started digging -- as seen here --

and here --

giving me this in the end -- a 140x200 foot hole --

and now, 4 months later, it looks like this --

and this --

we still have the winter ahead, which will fill it up the final 10%, and then i'll rent one of these to trim up the sides --

all in all, a fun task, and THANK YOU GOD, for filling it up with water -- !!



another --

and to me, the beauty of it is you don't even see it on the approach -- till you're right on it --

last one --

-- i just love the water --

e

 

[Thomas]

Looks like you had the right iron for the task...and the inspector(pup)very please w/well done job.

 

[Unregistered2013]

Looks like you had the right iron for the task...and the inspector(pup)very please w/well done job.

yup -- !!

i also rented a dozer to initially clear the lot and to define the pond --

-- they're not great for deep-digging though --

 

[EddieWalker]

Nice job. Your water is very clear. Is it coming up from a spring, or is that water run off from rain? Do you think it will stay clear, or is there a chance alge will take over? I cleared up my muddy water one time, and a week later is was full of alge. Now I've learned that brown water isn't so bad after all.

I've found that getting rid of the dirt is much harder than digging it. What did you do with all the dirt that came out of your hole? I spread mine out to make my dam much larger than I needed, but my neighbor is digging a pond right now and he's trying to sell his dirt at a $1.50 a yard. No takers yet.

I learned to run a dozer on a JD 450G. Not as new as the J you used, but a decent dozer for the size. Then I brought it out to my place to use for some clearing and realized it was pretty much useless. You are obviously much better with one than I am!!!

Thanks for the pics. It was a nice way to start the day.

Eddie

 

[Unregistered2013]

Nice job. Your water is very clear. Is it coming up from a spring, or is that water run off from rain? Do you think it will stay clear, or is there a chance alge will take over? I cleared up my muddy water one time, and a week later is was full of alge. Now I've learned that brown water isn't so bad after all.

I've found that getting rid of the dirt is much harder than digging it. What did you do with all the dirt that came out of your hole? I spread mine out to make my dam much larger than I needed, but my neighbor is digging a pond right now and he's trying to sell his dirt at a $1.50 a yard. No takers yet.

I learned to run a dozer on a JD 450G. Not as new as the J you used, but a decent dozer for the size. Then I brought it out to my place to use for some clearing and realized it was pretty much useless. You are obviously much better with one than I am!!!

Thanks for the pics. It was a nice way to start the day.

Eddie

hi eddie --

-- i did hit an artesian spring when digging, so that to me is major -- the water was slowly coming up as i had the JCB in the pit -- !!

i think it will stay clear -- or i hope it too --

-- also, the pond is retaining water -- i have a lot of clay back there -- and you're right -- WHAT to do with it -- !!

i used a skid-steer for three days solid (nuts!) to move clay to the mid-lot, to bring grade up, and in the spring, i'm gettin a front-loader with a 3-1/2 yard bucket to berm up the sides of the property.

i loved the dozer, too -- though i rented it for a week and put 50 hours on her -- that was a bit too much -- !!

glad you enjoyed the pics -- i'll post more as she fills in this spring -- right now, it's under ice and snow!

eric

 

[AlanB]

Dang that is cool Eric.

 

[Oleozz]

Those are great pics, a big task but it looks like you knew what you were doing. I would love a pond but think I would hire my neighbor to build it for me. He's got the equipment and has built quite a few over the years.

 

[3RRL]

Eric,
That is a great pond you dug there! A lot of work I'm sure.
Pretty lucky to run into an Artesian well like that, or did you have that figured out before?
Just out of curiosity, what does it cost to rent a dozer or an excavator like that? Reason I'm asking, I'll be doing the same thing but maybe a little smaller than yours. However, I anticipate lots of big boulders so using my tractor is out of the question.
Thanks for sharing all those pics too, they are just great. You might want to post them as clickable thumbnails though, for the dial up guys. That way they can click on them and while waiting for them to load up, they read the other posts....just a suggestion though.

 

[WayneB]

Hey Eric nice looking pond! Where in upstate NY are you.

We have a summer place just outside of South Colton on the Raquette river.

Also neat websire with the pitbulls.

Wayne

 

[Unregistered2013]

hey all --

-- i'm glad you like the pics -- i am south of buffalo, near east aurora, on 3 acres -- i swear the pond seems like it's an acre -- !!

the equipment was cheap, and expensive -- the dozer was $550 for a week, at 60 hours --

-- and the excavator was $2K -- for a weekend -- for 20 hours -- !!

the problem with the excavator was that it needed a special permit (blah blah) to transport, needed a "low-boy", etc, etc -- transporting itself was $750 -- !!

also, i didn't know how to use either piece of equipment when it was delivered -- and with the excavator, all i got was a key and a contract -- and a JCB -- in my front lawn -- no explanation, no nothin' -- !!!

a couple things about the pond -- i initially just wanted to doze it, and thought that would be it. well, the sides were too shallow, due to the dozing-out of them, and i wanted a larger body of water -- deeper, too --

--- so i took the JCB (the excavator) in the bed of the pond, dug the center out nice, dumping the clay to the sides ---

--- then, i took the JCB up on the sides of the pond, digging around the whole perimeter, scooping the clay out and setting it aside.

two big things about a pond are first, you need a nice clay bed -- if you don't have it, the water drains out --

-- and secondly, you need a nice, gradual water source -- for me, it was a real blessing to hit that spring -- i had no idea i would hit it -- and if i didn't, i'd just have me a big hole in the back yard -- !!

i look forward to many enjoyable years out there -- it's like 20' deep at its deepest, and i am happier now that i carved the sides out pretty steep -- over time, the earth falls in the the pond, making a slope on the sides, albeit not as gradual with the dozer --

-- gradual slopes lead to muck and to cat-tails -- !!

also, figure out an overflow, too --

-- and i'm glad you like the dog-site -- i spend a lot of time on them --

;D

eric

and PS -- this work could never, ever be done by a tractor -- you need something with treads on it, and massive hydraulics --