Small Pond Project.........

[EddieWalker]

Looks like you are getting a good start on it. With your depth, I don't think there is any advantage to putting anything on the bottom of the pond unless you build it up to where it's within a few feet of the surface. Remember, once it's full of water, you can't do too much more to it, so it's now or never.

Eddie

 

[cartod]

Looks like you are getting a good start on it. With your depth, I don't think there is any advantage to putting anything on the bottom of the pond unless you build it up to where it's within a few feet of the surface. Remember, once it's full of water, you can't do too much more to it, so it's now or never.

Eddie

Ok, another stupid question. All of this structure im putting in now will have to eventually decay. How do you go back and add structure to keep the habitat intact?

 

[EddieWalker]

Logs in water decay over such a long period of time that it's not going to happen in your lifetime. Decay happens from wood getting wet, drying out and getting wet again. If a log stays dry or stays wet, it lasts almost forever. Piers rot where they dry and get wet again. Same thing with fence posts. They never rot out in the ground, always at the surface of the ground where water puddles and then dries out. There is HUGE money if finding logs that sunk in lakes and rivers a hundred years ago because of their old growth and tight ring patters that are hard to find today. Those logs are in perfect condition except for external damage caused from what they've have hit over the decades.

Eddie

 

[cartod]

Makes sense now Eddie. Thank you for all of your help!

 

[bindian]

Cartod,
Your on the right track now. I dug my first pond with my backhoe and dug the bottom where it left underwater islands of solid clay. Since I just stock catfish in my ponds, I don't have much cover, other than cider block "hotels" for the fathead minnows, along with a forklift pallet for their spawning. The pallets have to be replaced every two-three years. Be sure to stock Mosquito fish. I don't have mosquitoes with them in both ponds.
hugs, Brandi

 

[GPintheMitten]

Now is the best time but people do create structures and haul them out on the ice and let settle to the bottom in the spring.

 

[cartod]

We seeded the dam and the rest of the new yard. Poured a pad on the bridge in the stream on front side of property. will pump water up to pond during rain/snow melt. Hopefully will be full by spring.

 

[kevin37b]

Swamp loggers .

 

[cartod]

About 4' of water in the bottom and holding nicely. My 8 year old lab is in heaven, here is a short video of her first retrieve out of her new water hole.

http://vid22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/cartod/Mobile Uploads/IMG_1370_zps65a5f32b.mp4

 

[EddieWalker]

There is a saying that there is nothing like seeing water overflowing from your pond for the first time. I heard it before mine was full and totally understood it when it happened. Then there is realizing that your pond is alive and doing things on it's own. Plants appear that you didn't plant and only grow in ponds. Turtles show up from creeks a mile or more away. Frogs are everywhere, and best of all, fish you didn't put in there, somehow magically appear. Mother Nature is going to take you for a heck of a ride!!!!

Eddie