TOMDUALLY
Silver Member
PS Did anybody think this thread would break 60,000 views?
Is that all?? My wife says that a fourth of them are mine. LOL
Is that all?? My wife says that a fourth of them are mine. LOL
Creating a Lake
- Thread starter EddieWalker
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patrick_g
Elite Member
HuckBB62 said:
Atwoods has a medium sized windmill that is an air pump for aeration. Looks neatly rural and does the deed.
Pat
KentT
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Eddie,
When are you thinking of sowing some grass seed on all that exposed bare soil? It seems that a good stand of grass would significantly reduce the erosion you're getting on the lake banks (i.e. less silt in the lake) and help clear up the water a lot... while also helping provide some natural insects, seeds, etc. to help with feeding the fish and other wildlife.
Maybe I'm ****, but the last step I've been doing when I do gradework on my lot is to sow grass seed (even if only annual rye and wheat) to help stop potential erosion. The clearing for my future house sits 75-100 feet from a 6-acre lake (i.e. pond) and I've tried to be very careful not to have all my topsoil wash down into it...
Last fall (a year ago) after the major clearing effort, I sowed a mixture of annual rye and wheat -- by spring the wild turkeys had eaten it all down to about 3" tall, doing a cleaner job than I could've done with a weed-whacker or rough-cut mower, but there was NO evidence of any erosion at all... The next time I was back in there -- this past spring --roughing in the driveway and getting rid of all the slash/brush piles, I resowed with a mixture of annual rye and perennial fescue...
Just curious as to when you're planning on sowing down some of those areas, that's all...
When are you thinking of sowing some grass seed on all that exposed bare soil? It seems that a good stand of grass would significantly reduce the erosion you're getting on the lake banks (i.e. less silt in the lake) and help clear up the water a lot... while also helping provide some natural insects, seeds, etc. to help with feeding the fish and other wildlife.
Maybe I'm ****, but the last step I've been doing when I do gradework on my lot is to sow grass seed (even if only annual rye and wheat) to help stop potential erosion. The clearing for my future house sits 75-100 feet from a 6-acre lake (i.e. pond) and I've tried to be very careful not to have all my topsoil wash down into it...
Last fall (a year ago) after the major clearing effort, I sowed a mixture of annual rye and wheat -- by spring the wild turkeys had eaten it all down to about 3" tall, doing a cleaner job than I could've done with a weed-whacker or rough-cut mower, but there was NO evidence of any erosion at all... The next time I was back in there -- this past spring --roughing in the driveway and getting rid of all the slash/brush piles, I resowed with a mixture of annual rye and perennial fescue...
Just curious as to when you're planning on sowing down some of those areas, that's all...
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Huck,
As of right now, I don't have any plans for aerating the lake. I've been reading up on the benifits, and have no doubt that it's a good thing, but for now, it's low on my list. I really want to take a wait and see aproach and then decide on it when I see a need for it.
Kent,
When I finished the dam, I put down 50 pounds of pure Bermuda seed. Or at least it was 99+% pure seed. Within a week, I started to have shoots of grass coming up, and a month later, it was turning green. There are patches of thick grass, and the rest of it has grass that's sparse, but evenly spread out. Unfortunatlye, winter set in and most of it went dormant. There are still green shoots coming up, but you can only see them from up close. I'm very hopeful that when it warms up here, the Bermuda grass will come back and take over. I'm looking forward to the first time I get to mow all around it!!
In the pictures I'm going to post, you'll see some of the runoff water that's feeding the lake. Most of this is coming from an area I'm workiing on clearing timber for my roads and RV sites. This will take awhile and until I'm done, it's gonna be a muddy mess. The best I can think of is to keep the silt pits dug out.
I'm also going to put some hay bales down to help catch some of the silt.
Thanks,
Eddie
As of right now, I don't have any plans for aerating the lake. I've been reading up on the benifits, and have no doubt that it's a good thing, but for now, it's low on my list. I really want to take a wait and see aproach and then decide on it when I see a need for it.
Kent,
When I finished the dam, I put down 50 pounds of pure Bermuda seed. Or at least it was 99+% pure seed. Within a week, I started to have shoots of grass coming up, and a month later, it was turning green. There are patches of thick grass, and the rest of it has grass that's sparse, but evenly spread out. Unfortunatlye, winter set in and most of it went dormant. There are still green shoots coming up, but you can only see them from up close. I'm very hopeful that when it warms up here, the Bermuda grass will come back and take over. I'm looking forward to the first time I get to mow all around it!!
In the pictures I'm going to post, you'll see some of the runoff water that's feeding the lake. Most of this is coming from an area I'm workiing on clearing timber for my roads and RV sites. This will take awhile and until I'm done, it's gonna be a muddy mess. The best I can think of is to keep the silt pits dug out.
I'm also going to put some hay bales down to help catch some of the silt.
Thanks,
Eddie
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Steph, the kids and I went down through the mud this morning to see how the lake is looking. The curiosity was killing us!!!
The first thing we saw was all the water runoff that's still comeing down. Then there was all the water that was entering the culverts. The concrete sacks in front of the 15 inch culvert really did a great job. There is no sign of any erosion there at all, but plenty of evidence that the water realy pounded it!!!
The next culvert is 18 inches and doing fine. There just isn't as much water coming down in that area yet. It will change when I finish clearing it.
My third sourse of water runoff is my open trench. Kid of a dry creekbed that is along my boundry. This is another disapointment for now, but I'm confident that in time, it will be a major source of water for the lake.
Thanks,
Eddie
The first thing we saw was all the water runoff that's still comeing down. Then there was all the water that was entering the culverts. The concrete sacks in front of the 15 inch culvert really did a great job. There is no sign of any erosion there at all, but plenty of evidence that the water realy pounded it!!!
The next culvert is 18 inches and doing fine. There just isn't as much water coming down in that area yet. It will change when I finish clearing it.
My third sourse of water runoff is my open trench. Kid of a dry creekbed that is along my boundry. This is another disapointment for now, but I'm confident that in time, it will be a major source of water for the lake.
Thanks,
Eddie
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Just to recap, the first picture shows where I was at on Noveber 23rd. Then the second picture was taken this morning from the same location.
Next is a picture of Steph and our kids standing in the spillway. You can see the yardstick in the water to the left of them. The following picture is of the yard stick, zoomed in.
I'm 8 1/4 inches from full!!!!!!!!!
My earlier ratio was 1 inch of rain gave me 3 inches of water. Now I have another 4 5/8 inches, which gave me an additional 17 3/8 inches. Is that right?
Can somebody tell me what the ratio is of rain fallen to the rise of the lake?
Thank you,
Eddie
Next is a picture of Steph and our kids standing in the spillway. You can see the yardstick in the water to the left of them. The following picture is of the yard stick, zoomed in.
I'm 8 1/4 inches from full!!!!!!!!!
My earlier ratio was 1 inch of rain gave me 3 inches of water. Now I have another 4 5/8 inches, which gave me an additional 17 3/8 inches. Is that right?
Can somebody tell me what the ratio is of rain fallen to the rise of the lake?
Thank you,
Eddie
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
There is so much water on the ground that the creeks are overflowing. This first pictures shows the front of my land and the State Highway that is in front of us. The creek is the one that is my Southern Boundry.
The other pictures show the creek as it goes past the lake and along the dam.
This was one of my big fears. Where to put the dam so that it wouldn't be destroyed by the creek flooding. The land on the other side of the creek is getting the majority of the water and what's up to the dam isn't moving. It's still and peaceful looking, but out in the creek, where it's deep, the current is really moving along quickly.
We're supposed to be getting more rain and then freezing rain in the next two days. I guess anything is possible right now.
Eddie
The other pictures show the creek as it goes past the lake and along the dam.
This was one of my big fears. Where to put the dam so that it wouldn't be destroyed by the creek flooding. The land on the other side of the creek is getting the majority of the water and what's up to the dam isn't moving. It's still and peaceful looking, but out in the creek, where it's deep, the current is really moving along quickly.
We're supposed to be getting more rain and then freezing rain in the next two days. I guess anything is possible right now.
Eddie
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patrick_g
Elite Member
Eddie, If most of the lake is less than 8 ft deep aeration is not going to do as much for you. If you have a significant portion that is or will be over 8 ft deep you have more use for aeration. The deeper water may become oxygen depleted and will not sustain aquatic life with an oxygen requirement. This will remove that portion from production.
An aerator like I mentioned from Atwoods would help add O2 and stir things up besides looking neat.
Pat
An aerator like I mentioned from Atwoods would help add O2 and stir things up besides looking neat.
Pat
KentT
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Wow! It's filling up fast now! Maybe too fast for your comfort... 
Eddie, I wasn't talking about specifically reseeding the runoff areas, but more about the lakeshore itself, especially above your anticipated high-water line. However, I have been sowing down areas in the runoff/watershed that I know I'll be tearing up later -- usually sown in wheat/annual rye, to get something that'll sprout and grow very fast until I come back and tear it up again. If it's an area that I won't be tearing up again, I've been sowing a mixture of annual rye and fescue. The annual rye for fast cover and the fescue for the permanent grass. Will fescue grow that far south? If so, I think it would work much better than bermuda for covering your lakeshores. It doesn't make quite as nice a looking "lawn" since it is a coarser grass, but it doesn't go completely dormant in the winter, nor does it turn completely brown. It also will eventually make a VERY tough sod that is impervious to erosion -- it would be great stuff for your spillway and the backside of the dam next to the creek -- if it will grow that far south...
Speaking of the backside of the dam and the creek, with all the flooding you're experiencing now, that creek bank may be a good place to put some of the broken concrete also. Rip-rap down through there would likely make you feel better about the creek flooding and weakening or undercutting your dam from the back... You've likely already thought of that, I'm sure.
Eddie, I wasn't talking about specifically reseeding the runoff areas, but more about the lakeshore itself, especially above your anticipated high-water line. However, I have been sowing down areas in the runoff/watershed that I know I'll be tearing up later -- usually sown in wheat/annual rye, to get something that'll sprout and grow very fast until I come back and tear it up again. If it's an area that I won't be tearing up again, I've been sowing a mixture of annual rye and fescue. The annual rye for fast cover and the fescue for the permanent grass. Will fescue grow that far south? If so, I think it would work much better than bermuda for covering your lakeshores. It doesn't make quite as nice a looking "lawn" since it is a coarser grass, but it doesn't go completely dormant in the winter, nor does it turn completely brown. It also will eventually make a VERY tough sod that is impervious to erosion -- it would be great stuff for your spillway and the backside of the dam next to the creek -- if it will grow that far south...
Speaking of the backside of the dam and the creek, with all the flooding you're experiencing now, that creek bank may be a good place to put some of the broken concrete also. Rip-rap down through there would likely make you feel better about the creek flooding and weakening or undercutting your dam from the back... You've likely already thought of that, I'm sure.
Defective
Platinum Member
Iowachild said:Do you know anyone that doesn't love a lake?
Yes...but nobody I'd spend time with...
mudcat
Platinum Member
WOW! That is a lot of run off. Wasn't the yardsick at 26" yesterday? At this rate you will be full in no time!
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Pat,
Thank you for that information. Most of the lake is right at 8feet deep, but that's when it's full to the overflow. My guess is that I'll be a foot or two low most of the time., so my average depth will be less than 8 feet most of the year.
One thint I've been told is that if there isn't enough oxygen in the water, the fish will come to the surface to get air. I've seen this in smaller ponds and it looks like the fish are coming up to swollow air.
Kent,
We're talking about the same things. I seeded the dam and shoreline with Bermuda seed. This is one of the few areas on my land that's actually done, so I wanted to get grass growing as soon as possible.
The areas that I'm working on would be a waste to seed it because of all the dirt I'm moveing. Some areas will be cut down several feet, others will be built up a few feet. Very little will be left along. hahaha
Mudcat,
Yes, the water level has gone up over 17 inches in one day!!!!
According to what I see online, an acre inch of water is 27,154.25 gallons. The lake is 4.3 acres when full. Since I'm not full and the surface area is smaller than that, I'll use 4 acres to be safe. 17 inches of water times 4 acres comes to 1,846,489 gallons just today!!!!
Eddie
Thank you for that information. Most of the lake is right at 8feet deep, but that's when it's full to the overflow. My guess is that I'll be a foot or two low most of the time., so my average depth will be less than 8 feet most of the year.
One thint I've been told is that if there isn't enough oxygen in the water, the fish will come to the surface to get air. I've seen this in smaller ponds and it looks like the fish are coming up to swollow air.
Kent,
We're talking about the same things. I seeded the dam and shoreline with Bermuda seed. This is one of the few areas on my land that's actually done, so I wanted to get grass growing as soon as possible.
The areas that I'm working on would be a waste to seed it because of all the dirt I'm moveing. Some areas will be cut down several feet, others will be built up a few feet. Very little will be left along. hahaha
Mudcat,
Yes, the water level has gone up over 17 inches in one day!!!!
According to what I see online, an acre inch of water is 27,154.25 gallons. The lake is 4.3 acres when full. Since I'm not full and the surface area is smaller than that, I'll use 4 acres to be safe. 17 inches of water times 4 acres comes to 1,846,489 gallons just today!!!!
Eddie
Eddie,
Wow, that creek is sure close to the dam. Remember a few hundred posts ago there was discussion on how a dam works and the reason the dam needs to be above the water line? Just looking at the picture, it seems the dam could be a bit taller with that creek so full!
Now that the pond is about full, I guess you will be showing us photos of the overflow pretty soon?
Oh, and stop doing that rain dance!
jb
Wow, that creek is sure close to the dam. Remember a few hundred posts ago there was discussion on how a dam works and the reason the dam needs to be above the water line? Just looking at the picture, it seems the dam could be a bit taller with that creek so full!
Now that the pond is about full, I guess you will be showing us photos of the overflow pretty soon?
Oh, and stop doing that rain dance!
jb
mjarrels
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Eddie,
With all that rain and mud... should be seeing another posting of how did you get unstuck from the mud if you attempt using heavy equipment?
mark
With all that rain and mud... should be seeing another posting of how did you get unstuck from the mud if you attempt using heavy equipment?
mark
Tim_in_IA
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KentT said:
I agree. This is one rainstorm. If you get a series of bad weather and that creek stays up it could undercut the dam. Armoring ("rip-rap") may help prevent the water from cutting in, but when water can't cut in it also speeds up so the stream could cut down or change its path entirely.
Another concern I would have is the 50 and 100 year flood heights of the water in that area. Do you have any flood plain maps that show where the water normally would go in case of a severe flood? You would want the dam taller than that. Also may need to lengthen the dam to act as a levee where required. You've probably looked into all this though, just thinking out loud here.
Really looks great seeing that lake grow!
Darla
Banned
Wow, what a long thread!! Beautiful work Eddie! Thanks for sharing.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
You guys bring up some very valid concerns about the creek and it's potential damage. I really had hoped to have a good cover of bermuda grass over the dam when a storm of this level hit. Unfortunately it didn't work out that way. Now I'm relying on the compaction of the dam, and hopeing that the water doesn't get much higher.
When I built the dam, and decided on this area, it was because it sat in the hundred year flood plane. I knew I couldn't do anything else with the land there because of the possibility of flooding. The dam height was partially determined because I wanted it to be higher than the flood waters could ever get. Across the creek, the land is also in the hundred year flood plane and it will flood first and absorb all the water long before it ever reached the bottom of the dam.
I have had a fear of this day when I built the dam and it's part of the reason it's so much bigger than it needed to be just to hold back the water inside the lake. Apperances were an even larger reason, but that creak has had me very apprehensive right from the begining. If I can see some areas that I can add more dirt to build up the dam even more, than I wll. My inspection will be very thorough when the storm passes.
In those pictures, the water is still well under the base of the dam. One thing that suprised me is that the water along the dam isn't moving. There is no current on that water. The current is all in the creekbed. I don't know if this is normal, or if my trees along the creek are having some effect, or if the water that goes above the creek and spreads out so wide also just slows down dramaticly.
There are some surprises that I wasn't expecting, but overall, it's working very nicely.
The big surprises are what's happening down stream past the dam. I know the flood plane is all along the creek, but one of my roads that I've been clearing for my cabins is a foot under water for almost 100 feet. I knew there was a low spot that would need a culvert, but what's in there now is more than I had ever imagined. I need to rethink this road and start building it up several feet with fill.
Thanks for all your concern,
Eddie
When I built the dam, and decided on this area, it was because it sat in the hundred year flood plane. I knew I couldn't do anything else with the land there because of the possibility of flooding. The dam height was partially determined because I wanted it to be higher than the flood waters could ever get. Across the creek, the land is also in the hundred year flood plane and it will flood first and absorb all the water long before it ever reached the bottom of the dam.
I have had a fear of this day when I built the dam and it's part of the reason it's so much bigger than it needed to be just to hold back the water inside the lake. Apperances were an even larger reason, but that creak has had me very apprehensive right from the begining. If I can see some areas that I can add more dirt to build up the dam even more, than I wll. My inspection will be very thorough when the storm passes.
In those pictures, the water is still well under the base of the dam. One thing that suprised me is that the water along the dam isn't moving. There is no current on that water. The current is all in the creekbed. I don't know if this is normal, or if my trees along the creek are having some effect, or if the water that goes above the creek and spreads out so wide also just slows down dramaticly.
There are some surprises that I wasn't expecting, but overall, it's working very nicely.
The big surprises are what's happening down stream past the dam. I know the flood plane is all along the creek, but one of my roads that I've been clearing for my cabins is a foot under water for almost 100 feet. I knew there was a low spot that would need a culvert, but what's in there now is more than I had ever imagined. I need to rethink this road and start building it up several feet with fill.
Thanks for all your concern,
Eddie
