Building Lake Corona

deezler · Jun 9, 2020

This is awesome. I want a true pond so bad, by my 30 BHP tractor isn't going to dig me one. And I can't quite convince the wife to let us spend several thousand dollars contracting it out. Anyone in southeast Michigan want to rent me a proper excavator?

ovrszd · Jun 9, 2020

An excavator would not be my machine of choice. You need to be able to push large quantities or haul large quantities.

I have a clamshell scraper that I pull behind my tractor but it would be cumbersome in the OP's location. Going by the pics, he's got the right piece of equipment.

BleedingOrange · Jun 9, 2020

deezler said:
This is awesome. I want a true pond so bad, by my 30 BHP tractor isn't going to dig me one. And I can't quite convince the wife to let us spend several thousand dollars contracting it out. Anyone in southeast Michigan want to rent me a proper excavator?

Why not find a good blaster, much cheaper, much quicker. :laughing:

deezler · Jun 9, 2020

ovrszd said:
An excavator would not be my machine of choice. You need to be able to push large quantities or haul large quantities.

Well my topography is pretty well suited for just extracting scoop loads, turning around, and depositing. Repeat from 8 or 10 spots around the perimeter and you have a pretty nice hole. I'm only talking a 50x100 type pond, I suppose. The danger in a tracked or wheeled machine that you need to drive into and out of your pond hole is if it gets wet... and stays wet... you get stuck.

ovrszd · Jun 9, 2020

The OP has offered us a perfect example of how you deal with a wet pond hole. I'm pretty sure he's drained his twice, maybe more, and still able to excavate with his CTL.

It will take a very large excavator to dig a pond 50ft across.

dragoneggs · Jun 9, 2020

lilranch2001 said:
One thing you DONT want as pond material is something that drains well!

Exactly why I can’t make the little pond I was aiming to do.

Jstpssng · Jun 9, 2020

ovrszd said:
The OP has offered us a perfect example of how you deal with a wet pond hole. I'm pretty sure he's drained his twice, maybe more, and still able to excavate with his CTL.

It will take a very large excavator to dig a pond 50ft across.

That’s what most people use up here. You can go a lot deeper that way. I know of ponds which have been dug 40 feet deep... hard doing that with a dozer.

ovrszd · Jun 9, 2020

Jstpssng said:
That’s what most people use up here. You can go a lot deeper that way. I know of ponds which have been dug 40 feet deep... hard doing that with a dozer.

How much surface area would a 40ft deep pond have?

Excavators must be huge there. I've never saw one that would practically lift dirt 40ft. Pics would be awesome!!!!

Jstpssng · Jun 9, 2020

You go down as far as you can, then move the excavator down to that level and keep digging. I have never seen it done but know people who have done it. It’s no different than a gravel pit or quarry which fills up with water.

ovrszd · Jun 9, 2020

Jstpssng said:
You go down as far as you can, then move the excavator down to that level and keep digging. I have never seen it done but know people who have done it. It’s no different than a gravel pit or quarry which fills up with water.

But when you are down at the second level what do you do with your bucket full of dirt?

I think the OP has the right method.