Build A Pond?

[mlitt12345]

Looks like a good start......How you gonna keep it dry enough to remove the dirt? It is going to be challenging after every new rain.

 

[ctpres]

Looks like a good start......How you gonna keep it dry enough to remove the dirt? It is going to be challenging after every new rain.[/QUOTE
Ten years of history says it will be dry all summer. There is a much larger pond about 1,000' upstream. During rainy weather it overflows constantly. During dry season it takes a lot of rain to fill it before it overflows. Also I have room to build a temporary dam in front of pond for low flow conditions. In six months or so we willl know if my plans and ideas are any good. All I need now is relatively dry ground so I can work the sides for topsoil removal.

 

[ctpres]

Decided so many TBN'ers can't be wrong about improved digging with toothbar and ordered Markham toothbar several days ago. Found out it ships today. Got confused when I went to website for phone #. Markham is no more, they sold out in Jan and are now Gator Attachments. Hope quality and service don't change. To wet for digging right now so I am working on my test dirt dump trailer.

 

[jinman]

It figures you'd start this project when we've had record rainfall. That's my luck too, most of the time. However, when I cleaned out my pond, we were in the middle of a drought that lasted most of 8 months and I got very used to taking my time and not worrying about rain. All of a sudden, it started raining and my pond went from a crater to full within three days. It hasn't been down more than 4' from full ever since.

Since your pond is just starting and not holding much water, I think you'll easily be able to finish it this summer. The only problem you will have is patience. Waiting to be able to dig will give you planning time aplenty.

 

[ctpres]

A local TBN'er frequently stops by to check progress and offer ideas. Best one lately is for my budget dump trailer. I was planning to dump by lifting front of trailer with FEL, but that method wasted time turning tractor around twice. New improved idea-use boom pole to lift and dump. Wow that's easy. All I need to do is fab a pole that will mount on top of quick hitch. Or better yet, he said, if it is long enough just use pole off of PHD. Tow trailer with the bottom of quick hitch and dump with the top. Yet another great use for the quick hitch.

 

[ctpres]

With all the rain I'm running out of chances for dirt work and having to resort to less fun projects. Size of pond keeps getting bigger which means more tree removal. I had such good luck with flooding that big one and winching it down I decided to try it again. First I raised the water level and left it alone for a week or so. In short order (about one hour total work on each) three trees on the ground. No stumps to mess with and major roots gone. Once things dry up Bota and new toothbar should have much easier time getting top soil out. Tools used: water, 5 ton hand/cable winch, some rope and about 30 ft of chain. Proceedure: Chain 15-20 high on tree to be removed to winch attached low on nearby tree. Crank till tight and go do something else. In hour or two crank it tight again and continue crank/wait proceedure till all cable in on winch. Use rope to secure chain while cable unrolled and secured to new point on chain and then continue crank and wait. Piece of cake. Wish I'd tried this sooner.
Since mud will be around for awhile I'm thinking a bridge will be next. Looking at cutting arch on bottom of treated 16' 2x12's and using piece cut from bottom to complete arch on top. Gluing and screwing two together for each side and deck boards on top. Handrail and done. Now just need to figure easiest and fastest way to cut arch.

 

[MarkV]

Sounds like a nice way to make a walking bridge, I wouldn't try to take any weight across it though. By the time you arch a 2x12 there will not be enough meat to support much more.

MarkV

 

[Topstrap]

I wonder if you do make that arch from the 2x12's and used the cut out section from the bottom to the top and then laminate/screw/glue heavy marine plywood to each side of both 2x12's and trim to fit and that would strengthen up the arch considerably.

I've got the items here for something similiar but am going to span the narrower end of my pond with it which will be 43' but won't go into details yet till weather clears and I get some preliminary fabrication together first.

Good luck on the pond, I kept mine pumped down till the bottom was all done and it sure made it easier to make a nice clean bottom area. I then let it rise to my lower drain while I worked around the edges placing the big stones.

They are quite a big project and with rainy weather it makes it that much more difficult.

Topstrap

 

[ctpres]

Does a toothbar really help? WOW! YES. I couldn't wait to try it out and finally figured out how to dig with so much water, I was using FEL to slice off chunks at waters edge. Problem with that was muddy spoils and in genaral a big mess. It worked BUT. New method-drop back a few feet and dig behind man made dam. What a difference, damp ground and new toothbar makes for fast work. Pictures represent about two hours work-a lot of which was spent learning how. Axe in middle is for scale. Top of handle is actually below water level behind dam. Also another question answered. Will soil hold water? Pictures answer that.
Do you need a toothbar? If you are digging or moving dirt-YES.

 

[radioman]

I gotta say- I admire you to keep working in muddy conditions. I can understand you really want to get it started and you have.

I have no doubt about the dirt bridge being able to hold up. My father and I built his dirt bridge when I was 14 and worked until I was 16 to get it done and still holding up fine after 22 years. All we used was a ATV and dump cart by hand. The bridge we built was similar to what you did, but has one 3 inch pipe on bottom with plug and several more above that 2 feet higher for overflow. The plug on bottom is for those real heavy flooding conditions in spring from snow melt. every 10 years the plug needs to be removed. I have been meaning to build a 12volt watermill for bottom pipe for light but never got around to it.

Have you ever gotten stuck yet? I assume you have due to those kinds of muddy conditions. You must be using your head to get that much work done. In the last picture, I see h poles coming out of the ground. what are those? some sort of a kids play area or something ?