Creating a Lake
- Thread starter EddieWalker
- Start date
- Views: 1006000
ctpres
Gold Member
Eddie: been away from forum for quite some time, acquiring new skills in the RV world. Headed for Gladewater and weekend with friends in RV park there and I remembered your RV project. If you are looking for ideas/opinions I'd love to help. Have been about 20,000 miles and over 100 RV parks so far. Glad to hear your water level coming up. Our "build a pond?" project ended up at about 1/4 acre and just overflowed with recent rains.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Sounds great. I'll be home on Sunday.
Eddie
Eddie
ctpres
Gold Member
Sent you a PM.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
After putting this off for a few years, I started on my bridge today.
My goal is to be able to walk across the spillway when water is running through it. The worse I've seen it is after an 8 1/2 inch storm. The water was half way up my calf when I walked through the deepest part.
My other goal is to create something really nice to look at. Maybe even have people want to have their picture taken when standingon it!!! That would really make me happy!!!
And after a very hot and dry summer, and losing 6 feet of water, I want to raise the water level at least a foot. One more foot of water gives me that much longer for it to evaporate.
I've spent months going over different ideas and designing plans. Not being an engineer, I tried to find something online, but nothing seemed to fit. So I'm winging it. :laughing:
My foundation is going to be done in three stages. First stage is to pour a pad that I can build up on. Second stage will be to install the blocks that will support the wood for the bridge. Third stage will be to pour the concrete wall that will be the dam.
My thinking is that the water will flow over the dam and spash real bad, so I'm pouring a full pad under the bridge to deal with this.
Today I measured the area and checked for level. I was surprised to find out that there is a 7 inch difference from the low side of the spillway to the high side. I was also surprised to find out that the top of the dam is only 22 inches above the lowest part of the spillway.
First I dug out the area for the pad with my backhoe.
Then I dug a trench along the water side of the pad for the dam. I need this dub now because I will have rebar sticking through my forms to tie it all together. I can't run the trencher where I want the trench with rebar sticking out.
Next time I will build the forms and set my rebar.
Eddie
My goal is to be able to walk across the spillway when water is running through it. The worse I've seen it is after an 8 1/2 inch storm. The water was half way up my calf when I walked through the deepest part.
My other goal is to create something really nice to look at. Maybe even have people want to have their picture taken when standingon it!!! That would really make me happy!!!
And after a very hot and dry summer, and losing 6 feet of water, I want to raise the water level at least a foot. One more foot of water gives me that much longer for it to evaporate.
I've spent months going over different ideas and designing plans. Not being an engineer, I tried to find something online, but nothing seemed to fit. So I'm winging it. :laughing:
My foundation is going to be done in three stages. First stage is to pour a pad that I can build up on. Second stage will be to install the blocks that will support the wood for the bridge. Third stage will be to pour the concrete wall that will be the dam.
My thinking is that the water will flow over the dam and spash real bad, so I'm pouring a full pad under the bridge to deal with this.
Today I measured the area and checked for level. I was surprised to find out that there is a 7 inch difference from the low side of the spillway to the high side. I was also surprised to find out that the top of the dam is only 22 inches above the lowest part of the spillway.
First I dug out the area for the pad with my backhoe.
Then I dug a trench along the water side of the pad for the dam. I need this dub now because I will have rebar sticking through my forms to tie it all together. I can't run the trencher where I want the trench with rebar sticking out.
Next time I will build the forms and set my rebar.
Eddie
Attachments
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
You sure got a funny looking dog.
Bruce
Oscar is very funny in all sorts of ways!!!!!
Eddie
GGB
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2010
- Messages
- 478
- Location
- Kansas
- Tractor
- John Deere 2032R, John Deere Z930M, John Deere 455, John Deere XUV825i w/Deluxe Cab & Roll Down Windows, Snow Blade
Eddie,
This should be another fun project to follow. How long will the bridge be?
Also, I was wondering if you had an update on the gazebo project(s)?
This should be another fun project to follow. How long will the bridge be?
Also, I was wondering if you had an update on the gazebo project(s)?
tony Cecil
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2010
- Messages
- 291
Hi Eddie
Things are greening up nicely over you way Concrete looks like a good way for the spillway...I have also been contemplating doing something similar-----to let the water in in a hurry if a Hurricane hits ...I was thinking of using boards for the bottom and sides, and just seeing your idea has already got me thinking differently...I will need to get a tractor or truck over to the other side, as it is a road where my crossing is, and it will be about twenty feet across, but I think about three feet high on the ends...Do you think I could cast a support in the middle, and bridge to either side of the support? in a safe way...Thanks Tony
Things are greening up nicely over you way
Concrete looks like a good way for the spillway...I have also been contemplating doing something similar-----to let the water in in a hurry if a Hurricane hits ...I was thinking of using boards for the bottom and sides, and just seeing your idea has already got me thinking differently...I will need to get a tractor or truck over to the other side, as it is a road where my crossing is, and it will be about twenty feet across, but I think about three feet high on the ends...Do you think I could cast a support in the middle, and bridge to either side of the support? in a safe way...Thanks Tonytony Cecil
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2010
- Messages
- 291
Hi Eddie
Things are greening up nicely over you way Concrete looks like a good way for the spillway...I have also been contemplating doing something similar-----to let the water in in a hurry if a Hurricane hits ...I was thinking of using boards for the bottom and sides, and just seeing your idea has already got me thinking differently...I will need to get a tractor or truck over to the other side, as it is a road where my crossing is, and it will be about twenty feet across, but I think about three feet high on the ends...Do you think I could cast a support in the middle, and bridge to either side of the support? in a safe way...Thanks Tony
Things are greening up nicely over you way
Concrete looks like a good way for the spillway...I have also been contemplating doing something similar-----to let the water in in a hurry if a Hurricane hits ...I was thinking of using boards for the bottom and sides, and just seeing your idea has already got me thinking differently...I will need to get a tractor or truck over to the other side, as it is a road where my crossing is, and it will be about twenty feet across, but I think about three feet high on the ends...Do you think I could cast a support in the middle, and bridge to either side of the support? in a safe way...Thanks Tony
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
GGB
I haven't touched the gazebo in months. Too cold, too muddy and no time. Now that the water is rising in Lake Marabou, I'm in a panic that it might fill up before I get the concrete poured. I'm not planning on finishing the bridge right now, just the dam part and the joists. I'll probably do the decking too, but the railing is way too detailed to put any time into it right now.
The bridge will be six feet wide and 24 feet long. Because I want the beginnings of either end o the bridge to be concrete, I'm making the pad 24 ft 8 inches long.
There will be three cinder block walls to support it.
Eddie
I haven't touched the gazebo in months. Too cold, too muddy and no time. Now that the water is rising in Lake Marabou, I'm in a panic that it might fill up before I get the concrete poured. I'm not planning on finishing the bridge right now, just the dam part and the joists. I'll probably do the decking too, but the railing is way too detailed to put any time into it right now.
The bridge will be six feet wide and 24 feet long. Because I want the beginnings of either end o the bridge to be concrete, I'm making the pad 24 ft 8 inches long.
There will be three cinder block walls to support it.
Eddie
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Tony,
Your plan sounds very similar to what I'm wanting to do, except it's not for driving. I figure it will be strong enough, but I'm really just wanting to be able to have tons of people walk across it and not have to deal with the water coming through the spillway.
Eddie
Your plan sounds very similar to what I'm wanting to do, except it's not for driving. I figure it will be strong enough, but I'm really just wanting to be able to have tons of people walk across it and not have to deal with the water coming through the spillway.
Eddie
KentT
Elite Member
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2005
- Messages
- 2,928
- Location
- Sevierville, TN
- Tractor
- 1993 Power Trac 1430 w/Kubota diesel engine
Eddie,
I'd make sure it's big enough/strong enough for your Mule, if not your tractor and other equipment. A whole new adventure for your Mom!
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Part of the way the dam is built is there is a road that goes off to the side and through the spillway. It's how we all get around the steep drop off from the dam to the spillway.
At six feet wide, I'm not sure the Mule will fit? I thought about making it 8 feet wide, but really don't need the extra width. Six feet is plenty for two way walking traffic, or side by side walking.
The main reason for the bridge is to make something really cool looking.
The justification is to make it safe.
The bonus is being able to raise the water level!!!
Eddie
At six feet wide, I'm not sure the Mule will fit? I thought about making it 8 feet wide, but really don't need the extra width. Six feet is plenty for two way walking traffic, or side by side walking.
The main reason for the bridge is to make something really cool looking.
The justification is to make it safe.
The bonus is being able to raise the water level!!!
Eddie
MarkV
Super Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2000
- Messages
- 5,698
- Location
- Cedartown, Ga and N. Ga mountains
- Tractor
- 1998 Kubota B21, 2005 Kubota L39
Eddie, did I understand that the top of the dam is 22" higher than the lowest part of the spillway and you are going to raise the spillway 12". Do you think that will leave the dam high enough to be safe from the big weather events like a hurricane?
MarkV
MarkV
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
That's kind of my goal. The 22 inch height difference is my starting point. I've been measuring the dam and found that it's at it's lowest point right next to the spillway. When I built the dam, I was always planning on the bridge, so I'm guessing that I didn't put as much dirt on the dam right there like I did on the rest of it. There is a low area that goes back about 40 feet or so. I'm going to bring the bridge decking up past that height and build up the dam to make it all level. From what I'm seeing, it's going to take a foot of material to get it right.
As for dealing with a hurricane, my thought is that anything can happen, and I'll just have to deal with it when it happens. That 8 1/2 inch rain was a record for here. It's very rare, and the spillway handled it easily. The lowest part of the spillway had water half way up my calf, but it wasn't very deep at the higher end. I'm thinking that with a perfectly level concrete dam, 4 inches of water would have been going over the top of it over it's full width.
That's an amazing amount of water, but I think it's worse case scenerio.
Eddie
As for dealing with a hurricane, my thought is that anything can happen, and I'll just have to deal with it when it happens. That 8 1/2 inch rain was a record for here. It's very rare, and the spillway handled it easily. The lowest part of the spillway had water half way up my calf, but it wasn't very deep at the higher end. I'm thinking that with a perfectly level concrete dam, 4 inches of water would have been going over the top of it over it's full width.
That's an amazing amount of water, but I think it's worse case scenerio.
Eddie
tony Cecil
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2010
- Messages
- 291
Eddie
In my case I need to get about four feet of water in to the pond, in a relatively short amount of time....I figure I am going to have about twenty five feet of spillway, and about thirty acres or so of pond.....I`m going to dig it down to about where a seven foot ten inch high tide would come, and have a board sitting in a slotted guide way, that I can remove...Of course as the tidal surge coms, it will bet higher and higher, with more and more water coming in....If by chance an overlapping of the dike takes place, the cut (which happens from the inside out) would hopefully would only cut a small amount away before the water were to equally meet itself.....I just hope twenty five feet will do it ? Tony
In my case I need to get about four feet of water in to the pond, in a relatively short amount of time....I figure I am going to have about twenty five feet of spillway, and about thirty acres or so of pond.....I`m going to dig it down to about where a seven foot ten inch high tide would come, and have a board sitting in a slotted guide way, that I can remove...Of course as the tidal surge coms, it will bet higher and higher, with more and more water coming in....If by chance an overlapping of the dike takes place, the cut (which happens from the inside out) would hopefully would only cut a small amount away before the water were to equally meet itself.....I just hope twenty five feet will do it ? Tony
tony Cecil
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2010
- Messages
- 291
Eddie
In my case I need to get about four feet of water in to the pond, in a relatively short amount of time....I figure I am going to have about twenty five feet of spillway, and about thirty acres or so of pond.....I`m going to dig it down to about where a seven foot ten inch high tide would come, and have a board sitting in a slotted guide way, that I can remove...Of course as the tidal surge coms, it will bet higher and higher, with more and more water coming in....If by chance an overlapping of the dike takes place, the cut (which happens from the inside out) would hopefully would only cut a small amount away before the water were to equally meet itself.....I just hope twenty five feet will do it ? Tony
In my case I need to get about four feet of water in to the pond, in a relatively short amount of time....I figure I am going to have about twenty five feet of spillway, and about thirty acres or so of pond.....I`m going to dig it down to about where a seven foot ten inch high tide would come, and have a board sitting in a slotted guide way, that I can remove...Of course as the tidal surge coms, it will bet higher and higher, with more and more water coming in....If by chance an overlapping of the dike takes place, the cut (which happens from the inside out) would hopefully would only cut a small amount away before the water were to equally meet itself.....I just hope twenty five feet will do it ? Tony
jinman
Rest in Peace
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2001
- Messages
- 21,059
- Location
- Texas - Wise County - Sunset
- Tractor
- NHTC45D, NH LB75B, Ford Jubilee
Eddie, I don't remember exactly the way your dam runs, but are you going to be able to get a loaded concrete truck across the dam and back to the spillway? As you say, you've had lots of rain. You just never know where there might be a wet spot waiting to inhale a loaded concrete truck. Those things are "monster" heavy; probably much more axle weight than your dump truck.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I'm nowhere near your level of pond, so it's just a guess on what you need. I've seen some very large lakes, hundreds of acres in size, with spillways that look like they are in the 20 to 30 foot range. My thought is that water only comes out so fast, and you need to channel it and have it going over a protected area. I think that's the most important thing.
In my case, I'm sure I can get away with half the width that I'm building, but I don't think it would look as nice. With so many ponds relying on a 24 inch culvert, I'm guessing that any open concrete spillway is going to be better then that!!!
Hope you post some pics of what you are going to do.
Eddie
