Build A Pond?

[Rowdius]

I've only done a little bit of dirt work that close to Houston, but I would think very hard about using a dozer. If you are going very deep, and if it is worth digging a tank, then it is worth going deep, then you'll probably get into some sticky stuff.

I'd say $5,000 would be a good ballpark figure, depending on your dirt and what type of tank you want. That would be about 50 hours at $100 (which was what the last dozer service I worked for charged for a D6 sized machine, but that has been five years now.) That would include pushing the topsoil to the side and then covering the dam with it after everything was finished (assuming you want a dam on your design.) So, you could get a bigger hole by spending that extra time digging instead dressing up, or just save some money if you wanted to dress it up with your tractor.

Around here most of the people digging stock tanks do not bother with pushing the topsoil aside to use later, but it was a requirement on a few government backed water conservation jobs I did.

Thinking about building a pond. Will be below current grade and be filled with heavy rain runoff from about 20 acres. Many other ponds already in area hold water nicely. Only one or two tend to dry up in summer. No special plans for fish or anything else as this low land is subject to flooding (three times in twenty years). Just for looks and adding to resale value. Have 35 hp HST with loader and am thinking about making passes with subsoiler to loosen things up and then just moving dirt to high ground with FEL. May ask Head Honcho for pond scoop for Xmas to increase dirt carrying capacity per trip if your comments support one. Low budget operation and lots of time. Just thinking and need advise. I can be talked into or outa this project.

 

[AchingBack]

There's been no mention here of earth movers, I believe they are called. Something like a Terex. How would one of those work in pond building?

 

[john_bud]

There you go, ctpres. Hire JB and sit back and watch him go, go, go.

Yes, I was very conservative in my estimate of how many loads you would do in a days time, but I don't figure you will spend all your time going like gang-busters. Some days you will work 2 hours and some you will work 12, but if your soil is rocky or has a lot of clay, I'd plan on setting aside lots of time. The first loads go quickly. Then you have to start dealing with all those spoils and contouring your dam. That's when you and your tractor will start feeling like you're emptying the ocean with a thimble.

yeah, I had a couple weekends with the family out of town and I just fueled up and hit it hard. Only got off the tractor seat to pee. I can tell you for certain, the tractor needs a better seat and I stick my head forward when I work it hard (poor posture). Sore neck and sun burn.

 

[have_blue]

WOW you guys sure know how to put a pencil to an idea. But then that's why I ask the "Experts." I am looking at maybe 1/4 to 1/2 acre at the most. With your help and my fuzzy math it looks like 4,000 trips on the low side. With trips being the key to this project I'd better spend more time thinking about this one.

Been there, done that.

I started a 1.5a pond with small tractors. Luckily, about 18 months into the project, someone rescued me with a dozer and tractor with earth mover. I was so stubborn and determined to do the job, if the guy hadn't come along with the equipment, my grave would probably be on the site.

.25a is doable with a little tractor, but not real advisable. Take Eddie's advice if you can.

Keep in mind that little tractors can dig just fine and pretty fast with the right equipment. However, digging is not the hard part. The hard part is transporting the dirt. That's the part that kills man and machine if you don't have the right equipment.

Also keep in mind that used equipment is a good investment. You can usually buy it, finish your project, and sell it for about what you bought it for. Spend most of your money on moving the dirt. Wish I had known that 8 years ago.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[RWolf]

Definitely has me rethinking my pond project. After calculating I would need to take off for over a year to complete it.

 

[acsoccer10]

Blueriver,

You said,

"I don't know how many years back that was, but this year they charged in my area $1.85 per yard and 2 years ago it was $1.60 per yard. The USDA after you show them where and about how big they then calculate the yardage. Hire the contractor and build a pond. 2 years ago we put in a large pond at a cost of $7500 with the cost share being 75% paid by them, this years project was $3700 with 50% paid by them."

I am looking at building a 1-2 acre pond on my property and did not know there were any government assistance. Can you tell me where I should look?

Thanks,

 

[PineRidge]

Years back we wanted a pond on a parcel that we purchased. After doing the math we hired an engineer and a chap that specialized in building ponds.

The 1st thing they did was to determine if the soil was "right" to hold water. Turns out that where we wanted the pond the soil contained to much sand. We hadn't even considered that!

Fortunately other parts of the property had clay so after the pond was excavated it was lined with clay.

We watched 2 large dozer's, a track-hoe, a sheepsfoot, and dump-trucks all working to get the job done. I quickly learned there were things that I hadn't even considered.

Long story short, the job was done right the 1st time around. And I'm very happy that we didn't attempt to do the work ourselves.

 

[dirtworksequip]

A simple test to determine if your soil is suitable for a pond. Wet it and if you can make a "mudball" you can build a pond. No engineers needed, just a little common sense.

Sincerely, Dirt

 

[meadowlarkponds]

ctpres,

If you have the time, lots and lots of time, and the desire you can definitely do it. I've told the story on here of building my first pond when I was about 10 years old working the scoop behind my Dad's popping johnny....hard work, but rewarding. I can't remember how long it took but it seemed forever.

Contrast that with my last pond which was constructed in just over a week w/2 D6's and my own small dozer. I prefer the latter approach.

Like others have said make sure you have good clay...and have sound plan including slopes on the dam and the spillways. Use the USDA pond handbook for reference, if you need one. Good luck.

 

[DWCox]

I recently built a pond which from my best estimates is a little over 1/3 acre. It has an a cored earthen dam. I did as much of the work as I could with my JD tractor, FEL, and a box blade, but finally got to a point where I knew I had to rent a dozer--which I did. I rented the dozer for six days for ca. $1,100, but was done with it in the pond in just 1.5 days. The rest of the time I uprooted stumps, etc. around the property. In retrospect, the dozer was indispensible.

I am now in the process of excavating a much smaller pond directly across the driveway from this larger one, and I am able to use the JD tractor solely on this project. I have been chronicling both projects (with pics and commentary) from planning stage to current progress at The Pond Blog

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but the folks at the pond boss forum were incredibly knowledgable and kindly offered helpful answers to questions I had: Pond Boss Forum - Powered by UBB.threads™

 

[EddieWalker]

DWCox,

Great pics and narrative on your blog. I really enjoyed reading it.

Eddie

 

[Bird]

A simple test to determine if your soil is suitable for a pond. Wet it and if you can make a "mudball" you can build a pond. No engineers needed, just a little common sense.

It's not quite that simple. The 10 acres I had in Navarro County, TX, did not have a single rock that wasn't hauled in. The soil was "Wilson Clay Loam" according to the soil scientist, and that went down over 4 feet; definitely clay that would make a mudball. However, a pond had been dug and it went down to about 15 feet and after 4 to 6 feet, the soil changed to a much lighter color and the water soaked right in, so it wouldn't hold water at all.

 

[DWCox]

DWCox,

Great pics and narrative on your blog. I really enjoyed reading it.

Eddie

Thanks Eddie. I have likewise read your entire pond project from start to finish. I appreciate your perseverance and ingenuity. It is so satisfying to see people who still think like the farmers and pioneers who first busted sod in this country.

 

[dirtworksequip]

Bird, and that first 4 feet of soil should have been saved to used to line the pond. "Common sense."

 

[Bird]

Bird, and that first 4 feet of soil should have been saved to used to line the pond. "Common sense."

Yes, but you never met the fellow I bought that place from. Common sense definitely wasn't one of his attributes.

 

[philbuilt]

To me building the pond was a thing of time and patience. I went into my project wishing for a larger pond but settled for what I could afford at the time. I suggest that you try and dig it won't hurt and you can always back fill. I think that I'm on year 3 and I have many more to go. As Eddie stated figure out what your plan is for the spoils. Digging is the easy part! Transport and getting rid of the dirt is the time consuming part. I don't think my pond will ever be totally complete as it's a work in progress.
In the summer it's a destination for myself and the dogs to walk to and feed the fish and enjoy what god gave me.

You can do it!
Phil

 

[ctpres]

OK you havn't talked me out of this yet. Just making me think more, which is good. Only thinking out loud now with several hundred listening.
I have time, a new (200 hour) 3400 HST with FEL and plan on adding a tooth bar and 30" pond scoop or box blade (opinions on this?) Maybe a dump trailer, if I can find a good deal, when I get around to moving spoils. Have just about ruled out bigger equipment as it can only dig and pile up nearby so I will still be faced with moving most of the material removed over 500'. Moving/trips is still the big factor. This is below grade job as site is mostly flat, probably less than two feet drop in 200 feet. I will try to confirm elevation this weekend. Any dam would back water up into neighbors land. I have cut a small ditch to improve drainage over the past three years and think I can work next to the ditch so it would take exceptionally heavy rain to fill pond in progress. Then near the end I can cut into ditch area.
The simple plan-dig till I'm tired or have reached desired size. Then move dirt as needed for other projects over the next few years. Neighbor might have big tree removal project so heavy equipment help is not ruled out. I never plan projects that I can't do by myself.

 

[john_bud]

A dump trailer would really help as you can accumulate the dirt and move it farther faster than the tractor using your truck. A GOOD box blade will help too. A flimsy cheap one will drive you to drinking quick. Get one with a movable scarifier bar so you can quickly flip them down to break up the soil and back up to move the soil. The extra $$ is a small price to the thousands of times you will be off the seat monkeying around with the teeth if you don't! If you are really going to do it a 6' to 6.5' box in the 900-1000 pound range is what you are looking for.

 

[wushaw]

Ctpres, I will second John-buds recommendation on a "good" heavy BB with hydraulic scarfiers and a hydraulic tilt will help also.
My BB weighs 830lbs and has a hard time pulling dirt and ripping up at the same time with the scarfiers set low so I rip up a area and the dragg the spoils up.

Get a dump trailer hook it up to your truck, this will greatly increase your productivity.

I have done the long distance dirt moving with my L2800 and that is what has put most of the hrs on the clock, if I would have had a dump trailer three yrs ago my tractor would only have 50 hrs on it instead of 240.
I put 400 hrs on my last tractor in the three years of having it and most of that was just moving dirt.

I have a little 4X8 dump trailer that I built last year that does a wonderful job of moving dirt quickly, I did use my big 8X16 GN dump a little after I got my L2800 but it is just too big to get where I needed to get dirt moved to although it would probably work great in your situation, I could put 16 scoops of dirt into it and that was 16 less 100 + yd trips I had to make and belive me it adds up real quick, your back side will really thank you for investing in a dump trailer for moving the spoils any kind of distance.

I love my tractor but that seat is no Bostrom air ride

 

[saltman]

Isn't there something you can line the pond with that will make it hold water? Someone told me once you can use "gunite" ?? Whatever that is..

I have an area on my property that is a dry wash or dry creek that I can dam up and collect a lot of water when it rains and make a pond but the area is all sand. What can I do to make it hold water? this idea sure seems a lot easier and natural than digging a big hole. The man mad resivoirs here are all in canyons or natural washes but they had to put something down to keep the water from soaking in?