Creating a Lake

[EddieWalker]

With the way the weather has been around here, I was hoping to have some snow pictures to put up here. We did get snow, but it just melted when it hit the ground.

I took these pictures about a week ago, and two days after a quick, hard 2 1/4 inch rain. When I drove through the spillway on my fourwheeler, the water was at least 6 inches deep, and flowing quickly.

That's the most water that I've seen coming out of the spillway. Since building Lake Marabou, and being worried about how much water would come out of the spillway, I now think that I could easily have made it half the size that it is. There's no reason to change it, but there wasn't any reason to make it that wide either.

When I get around to building my bridge across the spillway, I'll probably tighten it up just a bit so I can span the width with one support in the middle and concrete benches on either end.

Eddie

 

[bindian]

Eddie,
Have you built your pier yet? I hope everyone there has a Happy New Year!
hugs, Brandi

 

[EddieWalker]

Nope, nothing is planned for this year. While I really want to, I have too many other things lined up and all my projects for Lake Marabou are towards the bottom of my list.

Eddie

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Hey Eddie,
Good to see the lake is plenty full. Ours is too. I flushed about 20 ducks off today by not paying attention. Couldn't tell what they were as the sun was behind them and all I could see was their silhouettes. They were fairly big bodied birds. They saw me before I saw them. At least my 4 1/2 year old saw and I explained to her how wild ducks are hard to sneak up on. Especially in a Gator....
Anyway, you and Steph have a Happy New Years and don't forget your black eyed peas for luck tomorrow.

 

[EddieWalker]

I just don't get very many ducks on Lake Marabou. Sometimes we'll see a pair or 2 pair of wood ducks out there, and one evening we saw at least 30 of them. That's only happened the one time and it was too dark for the pictures to turn out. My brother is the big time duck hunter, and he thinks it becasue the shoreline drops off too quickly for there to be anything for them to eat. It really doesn't make sence to me since ducks always seem to land in the middle of other ponds and just float out there all day long. Whatever the reason, I'm not duck or goose friendly.

This morning was the fourth day of freezing temps, and 12 degrees F when we got up. Steph wanted to get some pictures of the sun rising over the frozen water, so we bundled up and went for a walk.

I tried to step on it in places, but kept breaking through. At one point, where it's always shady, the ice was crystal clear, and it supported my weight. I only went out a foot or so, and even then, I could hear it cracking under me. Where it broke, I estimate it's about 3/4 of an inch thick. It was allot thicker where I was able to stand, but I don't know how thick. The picture is misleading, as it doesn't show the edge of the ice real good, and it looks thicker then it is.

The surface was probably 80 percent or more covered in ice. Some of it looked real pretty, other parts of it had weird yellow and greenish colors to it. Some of it looked like it was part of a stream, the way it winds around itself, and other parts looke almost like a strange jigsaw puzzle.

This was the first time that it's frozen like this. Before, we've had just a touch of ice along the shore, but not very far out. The kids always get a big kick out of breaking the ice, so it's always something that we look forward to. This year the cold is allot earlier then ever before, and it's remained cold for longer then ever before.

Eddie

 

[scoutcub]

Freezing lakes in central Texas...? 12 degrees....? Whatever happened to global warming....!?

 

[patrick_g]

Freezing lakes in central Texas...? 12 degrees....? Whatever happened to global warming....!?

It is alive and well in the southern hemisphere and will return to our northern hemisphere in a few months where this northern half of the globe will experience considerable warming (AKA summer.)

The new Politically Correct term is Climate Change or Global Climate Change.

Pat

 

[weldingisfun]

It is alive and well in the southern hemisphere and will return to our northern hemisphere in a few months where this northern half of the globe will experience considerable warming (AKA summer.)

The new Politically Correct term is Climate Change or Global Climate Change.

Pat

Gee, why did they have to go and change it?
To me, it was always Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. You know,,,,,, seasons.

 

[TBDonnelly]

Eddie,

You can now add..............'Walks On Water'.................to your resume!

Don

 

[EddieWalker]

Don,

I tried, but when it started cracking and making funny noises, I chickened out. I really wanted to get out there a good distance for some pictures, but just standing there at the edge was all I could manage.

Phil sent me a link that state 2 inches of ice is needed to support a person. I wasn't even at one inch there. My small pond was at 1 1/4 inches in he shady, coldest area, and I broke through it, and got me feet wet.

The year is still young and we haven't even gotten to our coldest month. If there is a pattern, next month could be allot colder.

Eddie

 

[radioman]

gloves? scarf? covering the face? too cold?! (northerner laughing) HEE HEE HEE...

Just kidding. Anyways-most ducks here seems to like the cattails to hide from, I don't see anything on your pond, just some mid height grasses. That could be the reason why they haven't stopped at your pond often.

 

[patrick_g]

Don,

I tried, but when it started cracking and making funny noises, I chickened out. I really wanted to get out there a good distance for some pictures, but just standing there at the edge was all I could manage.

Phil sent me a link that state 2 inches of ice is needed to support a person. I wasn't even at one inch there. My small pond was at 1 1/4 inches in he shady, coldest area, and I broke through it, and got me feet wet.

The year is still young and we haven't even gotten to our coldest month. If there is a pattern, next month could be allot colder.

Eddie

Snow shoes or an improvised equivalent. Duct tape and a couple 2x6's 4 ft long will make a tremendous difference. Even if you had big feet say 12x5 inches that is only 60 sq inches for each but yoiur actual boots are probably less (one has to hold you so you can take a step.) Tape on the boards or tie with para cord or... and slide your feet forward one at a time. Even a 4 ft 2x6 (5 1/2 inches wide actually) gives you 240 sq inches of support, or 4 times the support of feet 12x5 with square profile. Your actual feet have far smaller contact patches, especially if you wear boots with heels, not wedges. A couple pieces of 3/4 plywood say 24x48 inches will give you 20 or more times the support your booted foot will give.

The ply or boards may go unnoticed in the pix or the photog can "cut" off your feet.

An arrangement like described above should enable you to get out over the deep part of the lake so when you break through you won't be standing on mud but will be overr your head and get thoroughly wet. Of course the extra flotation of the wood will keep you from sinking even if it does suspend you upside down.

A safety line would be prudent.

Pat

 

[EddieWalker]

A safety line would be prudent.

Pat

Thanks Pat, you've planted a seed in my little brain. Now it's just a matter for that seed to grow!!!

Eddie

 

[Tororider]

If you could find a way to strap some clear plexiglass to your feet no one would be the wiser. I agree about the safety line though, falling through the ice with big pieces of plexi/wood strapped to your feet wouldn't be much fun. Neither is falling through the ice period, I speak from experience.

 

[ME83]

Gee, why did they have to go and change it?
To me, it was always Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. You know,,,,,, seasons.

Here in New England the four seasons are actually Winter, Still Winter, Almost Winter, and Construction.

 

[TBDonnelly]

Eddie,

On the ice, a personal flotation device (life jacket) under the winter coat would also be highly recommended!

Don

 

[scoutcub]

Don,

I tried, but when it started cracking and making funny noises, I chickened out. I really wanted to get out there a good distance for some pictures, but just standing there at the edge was all I could manage.

Phil sent me a link that state 2 inches of ice is needed to support a person. I wasn't even at one inch there. My small pond was at 1 1/4 inches in he shady, coldest area, and I broke through it, and got me feet wet.

The year is still young and we haven't even gotten to our coldest month. If there is a pattern, next month could be allot colder.

Eddie

Eddie -

You're scaring me.
I spent 8 years flying for the Coast Guard on the great lakes. I've seen Lake Erie entirely frozen over, and landed on the ice with my helicopter many times. (talk about seeing some cracking ice)
I've rescued more than my share of stranded ice fisherman both on the ice and in the water. Many more were not so lucky. I lost count on the 4-wheelers, snowmobiles, and pickup trucks that feel thru the ice. (It's a Michigan thing - don't think you would try this anyways!)
We actually performed winter survival drills in the cold lake, when it was 40 or 50 degrees, with full anti-exposure survival suits (we had to fly in them), insulated headgear and gloves.
I'm here to tell you, cold water works surprisingly fast in shutting down a human body, even with proper gear.
Don't mean to lecture you, I realize your preparation in any endeavor is always well planned out and executed. Please make doubly sure this one is!
A safety line is great, but Stef will not be able to pull you out if you fall thru. With regular clothes/boots on the water will start numbing your body immediately.
Please plan accordingly and proceed safely, and lets see some awesome pics!

 

[patrick_g]

Eddie -

You're scaring me.
I spent 8 years flying for the Coast Guard on the great lakes. I've seen Lake Erie entirely frozen over, and landed on the ice with my helicopter many times. (talk about seeing some cracking ice)
I've rescued more than my share of stranded ice fisherman both on the ice and in the water. Many more were not so lucky. I lost count on the 4-wheelers, snowmobiles, and pickup trucks that feel thru the ice. (It's a Michigan thing - don't think you would try this anyways!)
We actually performed winter survival drills in the cold lake, when it was 40 or 50 degrees, with full anti-exposure survival suits (we had to fly in them), insulated headgear and gloves.
I'm here to tell you, cold water works surprisingly fast in shutting down a human body, even with proper gear.
Don't mean to lecture you, I realize your preparation in any endeavor is always well planned out and executed. Please make doubly sure this one is!
A safety line is great, but Stef will not be able to pull you out if you fall thru. With regular clothes/boots on the water will start numbing your body immediately.
Please plan accordingly and proceed safely, and lets see some awesome pics!

PFD's are not fashionable. Bailey suits are less so. Maybe a good Sterns float coat or equivalent.

Consider the safety line connected to winch line that Stef is well briefed on operation.

Pat

 

[EddieWalker]

We just have five days of freezing weather and the ice maxed out at 1 1/4 inches in my small, protected pond. And that was only in the shady area that stays cooler then the rest of it. The odds that it will actually get cold enough, and stay cold enough for 2 inches or more of ice to form are kind of hard for me to accept. It could happen, and who knows how stupid I'll be if it does, but then again, I might just stay inside and keep warm instead.

What I really want to see is some snow all around it. That would be the ultimate picture!!!!!

It could happen.....

Eddie

 

[duck spy]

Find the coldest(thickest)part of the pond and break up the ice,at sundown it will refreeze thicker.