Digging edge of pond

[Foozle]

Hi all.

With the recent dry weather, my 2.5 acre pond has dropped a fair bit. The shoreline was made to have a very flat/shallow slope and would probably benefit from having a bit more depth, so I'm wondering since it is exposed if it would be possible to use my tractor to deepen it a bit.

I could try using a backhoe, but not sure I can maintain a uniform slope and might end up with a choppy mess. I have a box blade, but not sure it would be safe to back the tractor that close to the pond. The front end loader is also a possibility as it has more reach, but not sure it would have the power to scrape the bottom.

Thoughts on whether a good idea and if so, the best approach?

Thanks!

 

[Cataclysm]

My experience:

Backhoe/trackhoe is your best bet. Long reach trackhoe is best. You will need a dump truck or dump trailer to haul away the spoils so they don't run back into the pond when it rains.

Don't worry about getting it smooth. Time and tide will smooth it enough.

Say away from the dam. You will pierce the seal and cause it to leak.

The tractor will only get stuck and that mud is heavy and tough on tractors.

 

[m7040]

I use the excavator for scraping the pond with a 36 inch smooth bucket

 

[Ken45101]

One contractor told me he had an employee working the bank of a pond and the excavator slid into the pond, deep enough to suck pond water into the cylinders. Be careful out there!

Ken

p.s. speaking of ponds and excavators reminds me of one video I saw featuring "Redneck skiing". They had an excavator sitting in the mididle of a shallow pond, rotating around and around with a water skier being pulled in a circle by the bucket ;-)

 

[civilian]

Dad's ponds were built many years ago. How they were dug, no idea. But around all of them, the edge depth was only a foot or so. Thinking was/is that if someone fell in and the edges were very deep and steep, how does one climb out. With 4 or 5 ft of shallow edge, a person or child could get out. Just a thought. Jon

 

[4570Man]

You’re wasting your time trying to dig that without an excavator.

 

[Foozle]

Dad's ponds were built many years ago. How they were dug, no idea. But around all of them, the edge depth was only a foot or so. Thinking was/is that if someone fell in and the edges were very deep and steep, how does one climb out. With 4 or 5 ft of shallow edge, a person or child could get out. Just a thought. Jon

Good point. I don't want to make the edge deep, just want to get to the 3:1 slope they recommend.

 

[MGMAN45]

THIS!get an excavator.