Build A Pond?
- Thread starter ctpres
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Retirement and plans for lots of travel resulted in decision to get rid of anchors. This included our sheep. So now I have some 18" concrete culverts (former sheep climbing hill) that will be used for pond overflow. The coupling ends are pretty well messed up, main bodies are ok. What should I use to seal or cover joint?
radioman
Super Member
ctpres - are you sure you want only 4 ft ? I know you said you have no plans for the pond. When it does dry up some, the water will be shallow enough for mosiqutios. 
Not something I want. I'd go deeper to have less water loss due to larger water mass. Another foot or 2 would be better. 1/5 of acre is not that big.
As for your culverts, since its concrete, it would make sense to use hydraulic stop concrete to fill in gaps and "seal" . I don't think you really need to worry about dirt getting in, just wrap the ends with scrap landscape fabric, tarp, rubber seal for roofs, tar paper, anything just to slow down the soil filteration through the ends after filling in with concrete. I say scrap because there is always something laying around from new home contructions and still usable.
Not something I want. I'd go deeper to have less water loss due to larger water mass. Another foot or 2 would be better. 1/5 of acre is not that big. As for your culverts, since its concrete, it would make sense to use hydraulic stop concrete to fill in gaps and "seal" . I don't think you really need to worry about dirt getting in, just wrap the ends with scrap landscape fabric, tarp, rubber seal for roofs, tar paper, anything just to slow down the soil filteration through the ends after filling in with concrete. I say scrap because there is always something laying around from new home contructions and still usable.
One of my early problems turns out to be top soil removal around large tree roots. My Bota just is not big enough. Since I only have a few trees left to deal with I don't want to bring in bigger equipment yet. I tried cutting big roots out several feet before pushing tree down and it works great. Yup more work but working with a shovel and axe is good exercise for an old man. Picture is my worst case, two big trees in same spot. Lots of chain, rope and two tractors to pull should get the job done
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radioman
Super Member
ctpres- is that a maple tree ? if so, you are in trouble. There are tap roots underneath the tree that goes more then 6 feet down. It took me 2 days with a bota BH and my fathers massey to dig it out and took two of us to topple it. chopping the roots on the side is good, but you need to remove all the dirt around it first to expose the bottom of the tree to see what I mean.
dave1949
Super Star Member
I took out a maple about the size of the one in your pic. It had a double trunk too. I dug and pushed for a long time. Finally ended up with a crater with a still very upright tree in the middle
Could not figure out why I could not get the thing loose.Eventually I got to the 'root' of the problem. The tree roots were grown around a rock so big, all I could do is push it in low gear. Fortunately, it was sandy soil or the tree might still be there.
You just never know.
Dave.
firefighter9208
Platinum Member
It's not that easy. I wish it was.
You have to install a dry hydrant dryhydrants.com: Mainstream Dry Hydrants Home Page. . You also have to have the hydrant "engineered" and the pond has to pass a 100 year drought survey before ISO (Insurance Services Organization) will recognize it as a water source. ISO is the company that rates fire departments. You also have to have a road built to within 10 feet of the dry hydrant that will support a fire truck (30,000# to 50,000#) 365 days out of the year.
I've been in the fire industry (as a volunteer in a rural dept) for 19 years so I am speaking from experience.
Here are some pictures of the dry hydrant that we have in our pond. The driveway runs right against the pond. It cost about $1000.00 to install and I did all the work myself. That's me stepping over the suction hose in the first picture.
My suggestion is to check with your local department before you spend your money.
Chris
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Thanks Firefighter9208. Looking at pic's I couldn't see $1,000. until I followed your link. As usual anything related to fire prevention, detection and fighting has big dollar signs. My business does a lot of fire alarm installation, service and testing and once you understand everything, it all make sense. I will check with local AHJ/vol. fire dept. I really like the idea and will probably do it with or without official approval just so I can have an easy way to pump water for other uses.
firefighter9208
Platinum Member
I may be off a little on the pricing, but by the time I bought 100' of 6" schedule 40 pipe ($5.00 a foot) , the strainer and stand assembly ($100.00) for the end of the pipe, several 6" couplings ($17.00 each) , a 6" 90 ($35.00) and the dry hydant head ($200.00) it came in close to $1000.00.
You have to glue the pipe. You can't use the bell ends with rubber gaskets, because you are using the fire engine to create a vacuum in the pipe to move the water. The rubber gasketed pipes are for pressure applications.
The general contractor that was re-claiming the pond let me use his Komatsu excavotor to dig the trench for the dry hydrant so I didn't have to pay for that part.
Chris
You have to glue the pipe. You can't use the bell ends with rubber gaskets, because you are using the fire engine to create a vacuum in the pipe to move the water. The rubber gasketed pipes are for pressure applications.
The general contractor that was re-claiming the pond let me use his Komatsu excavotor to dig the trench for the dry hydrant so I didn't have to pay for that part.
Chris
