Creating a Lake

[EddieWalker]

Irony.

That's the one word that comes to mind when I think about the Lake and my Christmas Eve party. For the last two months, I've bee pumping water into the lake so everybody coming to the party will be able to see it with water. I was also inspired by Soundguy's thread on hay rides, so for the last week or so, I've been clearing and smoothing my roads to and from the lake.

I have a trailer full of hay, smooth roads and lots of water in the lake, but it was raining Christmas Eve when we woke up and never stoped all day. We never left the house.

It was allot of fun, but all my reasoning for filling the lake with a pump turned out to be for nothing. Not really, it's been fun to see the water rise and share it with all of you, so that part of it worked out.

Steph and I went down there this afternoon after the ran stoped. It's up a good bit, but nothing too suprising. I'm still down aroudn three feet, but I'm right at that point to start covering most of my structure. Logs, stumps and dirt.

Gemini,

I have no clue about the pump. The change in the suction depth was the biggest chang I made, but I think that increased my flow more than it had any affect on the engine. When I pulled the intake hose up higher, I moved the pump to a more level spot. This might have helped too. I shook the take real good based on what Pat said. I did see that the fule filter was totaly full again, so maybe it was just like Pat said. I had something blocking the fuel in my tank. I went over those wires really good and might have moved the problem spot without knowing it.

I just don't know what I did, or if it had any effect.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[Glowplug]

All that build-up, preparation, and anticipation and no one got to see it. Oh well, at least we do!! Eddie it looks great! Once it fills completely that is going to be one gorgeous lake. That one shot of the lake makes the clouds in the background look like mountains. Already starting to look like a postcard. Keep us informed. Hope you, Steph, and the family had a good Christmas.

 

[wushaw]

Eddie, it looks good...you also got 1 1/4" more rain than I did.

 

[RobJ]

Just think if you had TWO pumps running.. hehe

 

[weldingisfun]

I'm sorry your friends and family didn'y get to enjoy your lake Christmas day after all that planning and work. The good side is that it will be there for your enjoyment to share with family and friends for many years to come. You did a great job and I want to thank you for sharing all of your fun and frustrations with all of us. We both enjoyed watching it become what it is today, a beautiful lake and we got to learn from you and the challenges you faced and overcame. We all benefitted. Thanks again Eddie, and have prosperous and happy New Year!

 

[ScottOkla]

OK Eddie,

Everytime a big rain comes through, I now think of your lake.

I'll be interested in how full it gets after this one. I don't know if you are far enough east to get the heaviest rain tonight, but if you are the lake should be up noticeably.

I'm looking forward to the pictures of it when full.

Scott

 

[BTDT]

Lot's of bad weather tonight. Hope your lake filled up without any damage.

 

[Bird]

Lot's of bad weather tonight. Hope your lake filled up without any damage.

Yep, it was bad in some places, but very good in others. I've dumped 3.15" of rain out of my gauge so far, we may get more, and I don't think we had any damage in my area.

 

[BTDT]

Yep, it was bad in some places, but very good in others. I've dumped 3.15" of rain out of my gauge so far, we may get more, and I don't think we had any damage in my area.

I agree. Don't know total rainfall at home yet (I'm still working), but it was plenty wet when I left yesterday evening at 5pm.

 

[patrick_g]

Are you sure that applies to this type of pump? (I assume it is a centrifugal pump.)

I am familiar with gold dredges and I am familiar the the typical engine driven pump sold at farm stores. The most common pump that I have seen at farm stores is a diaphram pump. I have one and it doesn't like to have its output restricted like say with a nozzle, it likes the water to basically free flow (2 inch hoses.) It does not like the intake to get plugged either.

I haven't had the problem but I have been cautioned that you can rupture the diaphram by having too much restriction to either the input or output.

You can ID a diaphram pump vs a centrifigal pump as the centrifugal has a volute (sort of a cornu spiral shape) and the diaphram pump has a smooth regular pump body with no spiral features.

...and Eddie, I hope you are getting a dose of precip to help fill the lake. My most stressed pond is up a bunch from a 1 inch rain we got last night. There are ponds upstream of the most stressed one. The immediate upstream one was within 2 inches of overflow prior to the rain and is now overflowing big time into the one that was way low.

Pat