Creating a Lake

[Renze]

Eddie the water looks very muddy to me...
What's the expectancy for your soil type, will the dirt settle over time ?

 

[SPYDERLK]

Jamie,

I don't know this for a fact, but my understanding on gravity fed lines is the size of the hose determines how much preasure you have. I shouldn't matter if I have one gallon or 100, it should all be the same amount of preasure.

I was concerned that the longer length of hose and the automotive fuel filter was restricting the amount of fuel I was getting or creating air pockets. I don't know how that would work either, but since my problems started after I changed fuel tanks, I thought there was a connection.

Now that it's running good, I don't believe the fuel tank was part of the problem. I think it was just a lack of experience and knowledge on my part.

Thanks,
Eddie

Eddie, that lake is going great!
Let me say a few words concerning the pressure issue:
Pressure at zero flow will be exactly dependent on head rather than pipe size.
At flow, frictional losses come into play causing the pressure at the bottom end-the delivery end- to be less than that suggested by the actual physical head.
Flow velocity causes friction.
Flow is faster in small pipes to achieve any given GPM flow.
Thus small pipes deliver less pressure at flow than would a larger at same flow.

That said, your fuel flow velocity is probably low enuf that you have delivery pressure to spare.

On your lake filling you may have some puzzlement as time goes on. As the bottom and top surface area increase there is continued and increasing loss from both sides. It is easy to forget that the increasing head/pressure on the bottom continues to aggravate absorption losses. You may reach a point where it almost stops rising. Then it rains and fills up - then promptly goes back down!? It will take awhile to saturate the bottom to the prevailing head. Itll give you predictive fits!
I know it will be fun.
Larry

 

[Glowplug]

I would imagine the muddy water would clear as it settles out as silt. I never realized how long it takes to fill a lake. It sure is a lot of water. We're all getting impatient. I'm sure you are as well Eddie.

Regarding the Pics of the spillway. . .I assume the water would be in the foreground. When the lake overflows would the water flow out into the wooded area? That what it looks like to me.

 

[have_blue]

I would imagine the muddy water would clear as it settles out as silt.

Usually the water clears up pretty good, but some fine clay tends to stay in suspension practically forever. Such additives as lime, gypsum, and alum can bond with the clay particles and make them heavier. That causes them to sink, and the water can become gin clear.

 

[CurlyDave]

Eddie:

I don't remember if you have posted on this before or not, but you need a small motorboat for a lake that size.

Not only do you need it for lake maintenance, but when you start your RV park, if there is an accident in that lake and you don't have a boat on hand to go try to rescue someone, it could be a liability issue.

I just know that getting one will be a terrible hardship...

 

[CharlieTR]

Yea, I remember from Eddie's pond project he mentioned the water following over the dirt causes it (dirt) to be electrically charged, and that it will stay that way (suspended in the water) until treated with gypsum or other things mentioned above. I wonder how much it would take? I guess you could just thro it behind the outboard motor to mix in a little.

 

[EddieWalker]

Renze,

I haven't had the water tested yet, so I'm not sure what I'll find. I have a small 3/4 acre pond that is in an area with lots of pine trees. From what I understand, pines grow in soil with high acid levels, and this type of soil is also prone to give water runoff an electric charge. I forget weahter it's positive or negative, but the result is the water will suspend smal particles in it for all time.

Gypsum, or sheetrock will nutralize this. When I was building my house, I put the sheetrock scraps into that pond and the results were almost imediate. Within days, the water started to clear.

Of course, clear water leads to alge. So right after I had clear water, I had green water. Give the choice, I'm gonna stick with brown water. hahahha

I'm not going to do anything to the water in the lake. What it turns out like is what I'll leave it as. Brown if fine with me, but it's way too soon to know.

Larry,

Thanks for the explination. I expect some fluctuation, but hope that the overal size of it will make it less noticable. Whatever happens, I'm pulling the pump out December 23rd regardless of how much water is in there. If I'm lucky, it will be full before than, but I have my doubts. We'll see.

Glowplug,

You have it correct. I was standing on the oposite shoreline of the overflow. I have a small penensula there with a few majestic trees that I'm hopeful will survive. It's what I call one of my kodak places. In the futre, I'll build a bridge across it and make it look real nice. With water under it, I'm thinking great photos!!!

have-blue,

I agree. It's just don't know if I want to spend money to create a bigger mess. I'm a firm believer in letting nature do it's own thing if I can. If it stays brown, that's fine. One thing I really want is to have some water lilies in there. My underwater islands are such that lilies wont be able to spread easily. I have at least four foot drop offs which should keep them contained.

I picutre the water to be brown with green lily pads and bright flowers. Red, yellow and white. Plus the green grass and trees surounding the lake should more than make up for the brown water.

If it stays brown?

Dave,

I have the family boat. My dad found it at a garage sale a few years ago for a price he couldn't walk away from. He's never used it, but my brother did for years. He bought a bigger boat, so it's mine now. It's a plastic, double hulled ten footer with a 4 hp engine. I also have another small engine for it, but both are in questionable running order.

The picture is of the boat with me rowing the kids aroudn our small pond.

Charlie,

From what i've read, the propeller on an outboard is the best way to mix poweder gypsum. You start out with a ton per acre and adjust from there. It seems like allot of work that I'm gonna pass on.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[gemini5362]

Eddie I have a small pond that sits at the bottom of a hill that is full of LobLolly pines. They are thick enough that I would have to take a chain saw and clear a path to get my kubota B6200 ractor up that portion of the hill If I needed to. My water is so clear you can watch the fish swim around in it. The pond is not very deep it was solid rock under it. so the deepest part is about 6 feet deep. I dont know about pine trees and acidic rock but I do know the only time that my water is brown is after a big rain that washes dirt down into the pond and it is brown until for a couple of days.

 

[EddieWalker]

Gemini,

My reference to the pines was to point out that they grow in a certain soil on my land. That soil is usually red in color and has a high acid level. I know the water in my pond around the pines has the electrical charge because gypsum cleared it up.

The area around my lake doesn't have any pines. The ground is a diffrent color and the trees are all hardwoods. Mostly birch, but also oak and sweetgum, plus elm and all sorts of others.

I'm not sure I'll have the same issues with this water as I do with my pond. I've seen areas that were totally clear after a rain and others that were muddy. Now that it's all one body of water, it's got a muddy look to it, but not like my pond. There is some visability through it, just not much.

The water coming into it is clear, or at least it looks clear as it comes out of the hose.

Eddie

 

[CurlyDave]

The water coming into it is clear, or at least it looks clear as it comes out of the hose.

I know my well water looks perfectly clear coming out of a hose, but if I catch it in a plastic bottle, I can see significant turbidity. Since I have only pumped a few hundred gallons out of it since it was drilled, I am hoping it will clear up. Otherwise I see a whole-house filter in my future.

If I had a choice for your lake, I would prefer brown to algae green, as you have indicated.

If you have ever been to Clear Lake in California, you will see massive algae blooms in the summer. This is the most misnamed body of water in the the world. It is a poisonous-looking green, and you can only see 2-3" below the surface.

My yellow Lab went in white and came out green, I had to hose her off before I could let her in the car.

 

[Farwell]

Dave,
The environmentalists won't let the folks at Clear Lake use the necessary chemicals to clear up the algae.
The same folks that won't let the Sacramento Delta use the necessary chemicals to clear up the Water Hyacinth that is plugging up the waterways so bad that a boat can not pass through it.
David

 

[RobJ]

I've heard it can take a couple years for a pond to clear up. But I imagine it depends on the runoff going it. BIL has a pond that the run off goes throught leaves and grass, etc. Is always clear. Then a red pond on the side of a red clay hill. It's always brown...or reddish. no fish in that one. all sorts in the clear pond.

nice pics! Where's our thanksgiving Log pic??

 

[EddieWalker]

Dave,

Yes, I've been to Clear Lake a few times and agree it's name is rather misleading. It's never been one of my favorite lakes, but to be honest, I prefered the Delta to any of the lakes.

David,

It's been years since I lived and skied in the Delta, but I don't remember seeing any Hyacinth. I did make the mistake of putting some in a goldfish pond for a few months. It went from a nice plant one week to a monster the next. It was amazing how quickly it took over and covered up all the water.

Rob,

I put some fish in my small pond this year. The water is very muddy looking and I didn't think fish would survive, but they have and are doing great!! My catfish are very, very light colored and we think that's because they need to absorb more sunlight through there skin. It's just a guess.

The rain runoff will continute to come across exposed dirt for awhile due to my land clearing and road building. Hopefull I'll catch allot of silt in my pits before it goes through my culverts.


To all,

Here are the latest pics of the water level.

The first three pics are dated and show the rise in the water level. Pay attention to the island on the right. In the amount of dirt exposed is gone now, but you can see it in last weeks picture.

I did get an inch of rain two days ago which really helped. The more the water rises, the more it spreads out!!!

The fourth picture is taken from the same spot I take the picture from every week of the overall lake. It's really starting to look like a large body of water!!!!

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[Renze]

Eddie it looks like a lake now, instead of a drowned roughland

When are you going to set out the grass carp

 

[npaden]

Looking really good!

 

[Glowplug]

Eddie-The first pics of Lake Marabou lookin' like a real lake instead of a junked up mud puddle! Looks really good with the submersed islands and fish hideaways actually becoming covered over with water. I think that is going to be one beautiful lake once it gets established! Congratulations!

 

[klm]

I think the first good rain you get over 3 or 4 inches you are going to lose the dam.

 

[EddieWalker]

Renze, Nathan & Glowplug,

Thanks!!!

klm,

Why would I lose the dam from a heavy rain? What did I do wrong? or what should I do to prevent this from happening?

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[slowzuki]

I suspect its regarding the spillway. I've always read most inexperienced pond designers neglect the spillway and the first time it overflows the dam is lost.

The reason is the sheer volume of water it has to carry when overflowing in a storm. I can't remember what yours is like Eddy but generally on large lakes they are concreted or ripraped.

Renze, Nathan & Glowplug,

Thanks!!!

klm,

Why would I lose the dam from a heavy rain? What did I do wrong? or what should I do to prevent this from happening?

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[HillbillyFarmer]

I can't think of a better way to mess up some good land than to go off half cocked building a pond. Ponds need to be designed and built according to a well conceived and engineered plan.
Yea, you might get lucky, but more often than not, a poorly though out pond construction job becomes a disaster.