I finally started my pond

[bindian]

Brandi,
Welcome to the world of ponds. You have a wonderful start to something that will become nothing short of an obsession. I only wish I had more time to work on mine. Great JOB!!!
Phil

Philbuilt,
Thanks. I am already obsessed with it. How big is your pond?
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Hi Brandi,

With the water rising, what are your plans for a pier or deck? I'm not sure you far out you can or even need to go, but having a deck of some kind is just about mandatory. It creates a sitting area, a gathering point and a point of focus for your pond. It gets you off of the grass and what may be living there and a level place for your chairs.

With the size of your pond, I'd think of a wooden deck that goes out over the edge of the water about a foot. I don't think there is any point in going farther, but it should go out over the water just a bit.

I gues if you went that rout, you could easily cantelever it out and not put anything into the water. Just anchor some beams to the ground and build a nice little deck.

It's looking great. I admire your determination to be out there digging after dark. I'm hiding indoors because it's 40 degrees out this weekend!!

Eddie

Eddie,
Thanks! I was going to add a bench on the buckhead posts. These posts are 6 inch diameter and are in the ground over 3 feet. I suppose I could add a deck to them. 40 degrees? hehe I have been out digging the pond on mornings that I had to knock the ice off of Booger's water buckets! It is amazing how hot the hydraulic fluid gets when you are digging, digging, and digging. The controls valves of the backhoe are a great heater! I really was hugging them on some mornings! Except for yesterday, the sun had came out every day and warmed up to just one jacket and work gloves. Most days I wear two coats and the pictured thermo Artic gloves.
hugs, Brandi

 

[rtdiggr]

I am sorry but you guys in the south slay me about the cold

Brandi my brother lives on the water and cantilevered his dock [like Eddie says] It is a nice clean look. and you don't have to worry about any piers.

Shane

 

[philbuilt]

Brandi,
My pond is a little over a 1/2 acre. The goal is to get it to 1 1/2 - 2 acres.

Eddie, Thats just funny 40 degs. Ha ha ha . I went and cleared the pond off this morning it was 7degs and the ice is now 13" thick.
Phil

 

[EddieWalker]

What you guys fail to understand, is that I have the luxery of not having to deal with the cold. When it's in the teens on up into the 40's, I just choose to not deal with it. I also have a very long list of honey does, as well as other woodworking projects that need doing. This past weekend, I built 3 shelves for our local museum, then built another shelveing unit for my deer blind and then started on two wooden crosses that I'm donating to a silent auction next month. All simple, easy things to do inside my shop and where I'm able to stay warm with my kerosene heater.

As for Brandi out there digging on her pond in these conditions, all I can say is that she's very motivated and on a mission!!!!! I tried that a few years ago on my dozer while digging my pond. The metal was so cold that my feet would go numb. I put on more socks, but that didn't stop it. I put a rubber mat on the floor to insulate my boots from the metal, which helped allot, but I still had to work my foot pedals, and the cold was always working on me. To say it was miserable would be an understatement.

Eddie

 

[bindian]

Thanks Y'all. I can work in the heat or the cold, if I am motivated. We don't get dry cold down here. We get the high humidity bone numbing cold. I was also going to change my transmission fluid,Saturday, but decided to wait for a warmer day, cause I wanted the tractor to get running and warm up. Y'all can come down in August or September, even July, if you want and run my tractor, when it is about 99 degrees and 99 percent humitity.
I was once TDY in Fairbanks, Alaska in December. It was 20 below when I got there. I loved it and played outside in it. But it was only 18% humidity. 30 below was a little rough, but I still did a 16 hour shift!
My cousin and I play tennis up in Oklahoma in 102 degree heat, but it was all dry air, like up in Alaska. You get dampness in the air or on your cloths and you can't stand it where ever you are. Especially if you are more acustom to the heat down here
hugs, Brandi

 

[ctpres]

In last picture I see what appers to be a guy wire/achor for power pole? Rather close to water and maybe over time ground will become softer alowing anchor to move. Might be worth keeping an eye on pole. Great project, hoping to use your efforts to convince Head Honcho Suzie that we can enjoy one. Interesting blue tint to water-would expect more brown.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I removed the stump from the pond today. I kept thinking it was a little to high in the pond and too many fishing lines would be lost to it. I will put some broken culverts in it's place.
I also cut back and sloped the shallow end this evening after dark and gave it a rounder, less square look. My loader lights work great, but I need to wire a seperate circuit for the backhoe lights to get more brightness for better depth perception.
The water level keeps creeping up and we haven't had any rain all month. Which pleases me immensely.
hugs, Brandi

Great pictures, the pond is really starting to take shape i seen in the pictures where the water is creeping in, even without rain all month, its amazing that with clay dirt you hit water even if it hasn't rained for a while.

When i first started mine my 8 year old son was standing there watching me dig, and he hollered out daddy there's water coming in the hole, i didn't hit water until about 5 ft. and the deeper i dug the more water i hit, i had to use a pump just to finish the pond

Great work your doing

 

[jinman]

Brandi, I love your little pond and can't believe it is filling from the bottom up. Your water table must be very shallow to get that kind of seepage. Consider this, though. You are saying that it's all clay, but there is water coming in. If the pond is clay that would seal water from running out, wouldn't it seal water from running in? I'm thinking that if the pond fills up from rain, the level will quickly adjust to whatever the water table is for the season.

I love that clear blue water you are getting into your pond. Actually, I'm really jealous of it. I just think that it indicates a seepage, and whatever level your water rises to from that seepage will be the average costant level of the pond year round. If it comes up another 18" it won't matter anyhow. You'll have great little clear pond in which you can count every fish.

 

[germ-X]

looks like its coming along nicely, if you can post the pics of it finished.

 

[easeup]

OMG......look at that beautiful dirt!

I COULDN'T FIND A ROCK ANYWHERE.

 

[weldingisfun]

OMG......look at that beautiful dirt!

I COULDN'T FIND A ROCK ANYWHERE.

You want rocks? We've got rocks, take your pick.

When my Mother was alive she lived in Conroe, down near Bindian. Mom needed a couple of fence posts put in. So we packed up our handy little Earthquake auger Earthquake E43 and headed on down. My partner (read that wife) and I had used it to set a hundred or so posts at our place, fighting rocks with nearly every hole. To our surprise, we put the holes in the ground, at Mom's place, in less time than it took to get the auger running. We buried the auger drill, 3 feet, in less than one minute. No rocks, just sandy loam dirt.

 

[jinman]

You want rocks? We've got rocks, take your pick.

But you don't have to trim your goat's hooves very often, do you?

 

[bindian]

In last picture I see what appers to be a guy wire/achor for power pole? Rather close to water and maybe over time ground will become softer alowing anchor to move. Might be worth keeping an eye on pole. Great project, hoping to use your efforts to convince Head Honcho Suzie that we can enjoy one. Interesting blue tint to water-would expect more brown.

Ctpres,
Yes, those are guy wires and anchors. I hope they say firm I did call the 800 dig number before I dug. The pipeline (up the street) company called me and told me I was alright. Verizon came out and said okay. The power company just sat on their *** and the "know before you dig" date passed.
If it does get wet and the anchors pull out, at least I have documentation that I called. The guys wires are a good 60 feet on my property.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Great pictures, the pond is really starting to take shape i seen in the pictures where the water is creeping in, even without rain all month, its amazing that with clay dirt you hit water even if it hasn't rained for a while.

When i first started mine my 8 year old son was standing there watching me dig, and he hollered out daddy there's water coming in the hole, i didn't hit water until about 5 ft. and the deeper i dug the more water i hit, i had to use a pump just to finish the pond

Great work your doing

Johndeere4300,
Thanks. It is amazing how water can be suspended in clay.

 

[bindian]

Brandi, I love your little pond and can't believe it is filling from the bottom up. Your water table must be very shallow to get that kind of seepage. Consider this, though. You are saying that it's all clay, but there is water coming in. If the pond is clay that would seal water from running out, wouldn't it seal water from running in? I'm thinking that if the pond fills up from rain, the level will quickly adjust to whatever the water table is for the season.

I love that clear blue water you are getting into your pond. Actually, I'm really jealous of it. I just think that it indicates a seepage, and whatever level your water rises to from that seepage will be the average costant level of the pond year round. If it comes up another 18" it won't matter anyhow. You'll have great little clear pond in which you can count every fish.

Jinman,
Howdy. I am glad your here. I am at the bottom of the hill and
I do have a very shallow water table.........all in clay. I had to dig 2 and 3 foot wide gravel ditches for my sewer lines because of the clay. All the water in the pond has came when we haven't had rain since back in December. The Lord is holding the rain until I finish. I hope to get the topsoil back spread on Friday and seeded with rye grass seed. The driveway was so dry when I was moving clay, I started wetting it down each morning before moving clay. I have "wet" weather springs by my shop and barn. I think I have some leading into the pond. I will be able to see them after it rains if they are there. The water is clear down to about 18 inches, then goes a combination of colors, noe I would call blue.
How is your pond (lake?) coming?
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

looks like its coming along nicely, if you can post the pics of it finished.

Germ-X,
I am very pleased how it is turning out. If only is was wider I could work it better with my Big RED Beast! Here is a photo from the street cul-de-sac. You can see the topsoil pile to the right of the clay pile, just past the dam and behind the cedar trees.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

OMG......look at that beautiful dirt!

I COULDN'T FIND A ROCK ANYWHERE.

I have a few rocks...............but I transplanted them from the Texas Panhandle (white rocks) and our old Centerville (iron ore) deer lease. Then there are the Frio river rocks. I also have petrifed 4x6 beams (short and broken) from the Brazos river. I will use the petrified wood to build my new house's wood stove hearth.
hugs, Brandi

 

[easeup]

more beautiful dirt....
i wished I had all of that dirt coming out of that hole in the ground!!!!!

lol.......I can fill it with limestone!

 

[bindian]

Jinman,
Howdy. I am glad your here. I am at the bottom of the hill and
I do have a very shallow water table.........all in clay. I had to dig 2 and 3 foot wide gravel ditches for my sewer lines because of the clay. All the water in the pond has came when we haven't had rain since back in December. The Lord is holding the rain until I finish. I hope to get the topsoil back spread on Friday and seeded with rye grass seed. The driveway was so dry when I was moving clay, I started wetting it down each morning before moving clay. I have "wet" weather springs by my shop and barn. I think I have some leading into the pond. I will be able to see them after it rains if they are there. The water is clear down to about 18 inches, then goes a combination of colors, noe I would call blue.
How is your pond (lake?) coming?
hugs, Brandi

Jinman,
Editorial retraction............With the morning sun shining down on the water..........I can see down to the bottom........over 3 feet.
hugs, Brandi