Building Lake Corona

[EddieWalker]

No plans for a pier. If my wife found out I spent money on a pier I'd likely to be living by the pond.

I didn't put in a pier in my pond either, and that's proven to be a big mistake. I will build at least one, and really want to have three. It's just a matter of taking the time and putting in the effort to get the posts in the ground now that it's full of water.

My original thought was that I would just keep it mowed around the shore and be able to fish anywhere. Or put in the row boat and fish from the boat. What I didn't realize is the the shoreline changes, the weeds never stop growing and the amount of plants growing in the water will always increase. Snakes really love those plants that grow in the water!!!

To really enjoy my pond, I need a dock to go from the easy to mow areas, across that transition area of shoreline, out to open water where we can fish without fighting plants and watching for snakes.

I also want to put a pump into my pond to water my vegetable garden. I want to the pump suspended from the dock so it's a couple of feet off of the bottom of the pond, and pulling clear water without debris.

I might also build a roof over the dock, or a gazebo, so I can fish in the shade.

I just don't know when this will happen because I have more pressing projects to get to, and I missed my window of doing it easily when there wasn't any water in there.

 

[jk96]

I didn't put in a pier in my pond either, and that's proven to be a big mistake.

Now you have me second guessing myself. Worked for a couple of hours this morning leveling out the first area of the hillside I started on. Hoping to head back out this evening and start cutting a walk path along the west side of the pond.

2020-11-07_10-35-01

 

[buckeyefarmer]

The over flow is a concept I haven’t wrapped my mind around yet and my degree is in civil engineering. My reaction is it doesn’t work but to many people said it does. The diagram helped but I’m to lazy to go back and really figure it out. Looks like a good setup and easy to install. Thanks for the update and video, the lake looks like it’s going to be really nice.

It’s a siphon. Dad taught me that when I was young when I had to empty mom’s wash tubs. His has a prime port on top, I used to put a hose in the wash tub, fill it with water, seal an end with your thumb and put it outside the washtub lower than the inlet and let go. Come back when tub is empty.

 

[lilranch2001]

Now you have me second guessing myself. Worked for a couple of hours this morning leveling out the first area of the hillside I started on. Hoping to head back out this evening and start cutting a walk path along the west side of the pond.

2020-11-07_10-35-01

Dang dude......

You work fast!!

 

[two_bit_score]

Now you have me second guessing myself. Worked for a couple of hours this morning leveling out the first area of the hillside I started on. Hoping to head back out this evening and start cutting a walk path along the west side of the pond.

Sure will be a nice lake. Eddie is right.

I'm sure you will never regret building a pier now. The kids and grand kids will love fishing off of it.



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[EddieWalker]

Another thing that I did wrong was I made it too steep where you mow right up to the water. Later on I built a 2 foot tall dam on my spillway that raised the water to a part of the dam that had a lot easier slope to mow. I was literally sliding off of my seat while mowing as close to the water as I could with my tractor. With my zero turn, I would slide sideways into the water if there was any moisture at all in the ground.

Mark your high water line all the way around your pond, then drive your lawn mower along that line to see how it feels. The difference between mowing with the zero turn and mowing with my bush hog is night and day better. I maintain it with my bush hog, but when we have parties, I cut it all with the zero turn.

 

[jk96]

Another thing that I did wrong was I made it too steep where you mow right up to the water. Later on I built a 2 foot tall dam on my spillway that raised the water to a part of the dam that had a lot easier slope to mow. I was literally sliding off of my seat while mowing as close to the water as I could with my tractor. With my zero turn, I would slide sideways into the water if there was any moisture at all in the ground.

Mark your high water line all the way around your pond, then drive your lawn mower along that line to see how it feels. The difference between mowing with the zero turn and mowing with my bush hog is night and day better. I maintain it with my bush hog, but when we have parties, I cut it all with the zero turn.

Planning on cutting in a level walk area around most of the pond about 2 feet above the high water line. This will make it easy to mow in the areas with foot traffic. Anything above that on the steeper slopes would be maintained with the track loader and brush cutter. Here's a pic of the cutter on my old machine.

2018-10-31_03-40-23


Finished bringing most of the dam up to final height. Just have about 1/3 to go. It's now close to 3 feet above the highest part of the drain pipe. Will use the dirt from the rest of the walk paths I'm cutting in to bring the slope out so the dam is not so steep.


2020-11-07_03-19-47

2020-11-07_03-20-59

 

[ovrszd]

Another great day of progress!!!! The weather is on your side after all the struggling earlier in the Summer!!!

 

[jk96]

Another great day of progress!!!! The weather is on your side after all the struggling earlier in the Summer!!!

Weather has been perfect. Started cutting in the walk path on the west side just before dark. Hoping to finish it tomorrow. Cut west side in Monday. I think it will give me enough dirt to wrap up the dam. If so that should just leave some cleanup and additional fish habitat to wrap up. Looks like chance of rain Tuesday.

 

[ovrszd]

Yep, starting Monday night up here. Hard to not get rain when we have such a huge swing of temps. Hopefully if it does get some water in the Lake you won't have to siphon it out again!!!