Creating a Lake

[PineRidge]

It's a steep ride to the top

 

[PineRidge]

It's got shape

 

[PineRidge]

The makings of a spillway

 

[PineRidge]

Different view of the hole

 

[PineRidge]

A short time later as the grass was starting to come up. BTW: The engineer told me that it would take a year for the pond to fully fill and he was on mark to the month.

 

[PineRidge]

Yes they do eventually fill. As you can see sometimes building a pond is just a bit more involved than digging a hole on your property. Is it worth all the time and effort, we think so. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[notamustang]

Thanks PineRidge, those pics are informative and the end result is very beautiful. I am glad Eddie asked to see them /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Steven

 

[WhiteRock]

Wow PineRidge! That is impressive. Thanks for sharing.

Would you describe the overflow or do you have a picture?

Was that 8" pipe? What kind of spillway flow do you get with a heavy rain?

Thanks,
WhiteRock

 

[Cliff_Johns]

PineRidge,
Man, that's just beautiful. It's not at all obvious how much work a pond is, but those photos make it a bit more clear.

Thanks for posting the photos.

Cliff

 

[MarkV]

Mike, nicely documented and not to shabby looking. A couple of questions if you don’t mind. How large is your pond? How long did it take them to build it? Is all the water feed from water shed? Besides the over flow pipe system did they cut an emergency spillway for loads the pipe can’t handle?

Sure looks great!

MarkV

 

[EddieWalker]

Mike,

Thanks for shareing those photos. They are AWESOME!!!!

It must have been a blast watching the progress develop. They did a great job and the finished result is just amazing.

Eddie

 

[PineRidge]

Thanks guys! Eddie I'm glad if these pictures help you in any way. It's so easy to look at a finished pond or lake and overlook all the work and planning that went into it.

The 2 dozer's the sheep's foot, and the track hoe worked in conjunction with the engineer on my lot for 10 days straight. Plus a small backhoe came back 15 days later to install the plastic overflow pipe.

I was sorry that I was working when they came in to install the overflow, so I have no pictures of it to show. however my drawing shows the basic design. I recommend using the anti-seep collars as they can also prevent an unnecessary leak at the pipe itself.

An emergency spillway was incorporated into an extreme end of our dam. In the 6 years that we have been here all the excess water has been controlled by the overflow pipe, I have never seen water going over the emergency spillway but it's there just in case. And every pond that uses a dam should have one. If water is left to breach over a dam uncontrolled it's just a matter of time before the dam will fail.

There are no springs that feed our pond. Our lot collects and directs rainwater to the pond. I also plumbed all the home downspouts to the pond as well. You would be surprised at how much water just the downspouts add during a good hard rain.

I did install an anti-varmint guard on the backside of the overflow and a trash guard screen at the waterline to keep the fish in the pond. Some fish like the White Amour will follow the current and out the overflow if you don't take some precaution to make sure that doesn't happen. My Grass Carp are now about 20 to 25 pounds each so I would hate to lose them.

 

[chatcher]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...I also don't have a compactor, nor can I afford one, so compaction would be impossible.)</font>

I have a very small pond which needs to be drained and cleaned. I have been toying with the idea of building a small scale sheepsfoot roller I can tow with a tractor. I'd like to make it so it could be filled with water for weight and drained to lighten it up when it isn't being used. Kind of like a lawn roller with welded-on feet. Anyone know of someone who has tried this?

 

[mb25acres]

http://www.totalpatchers.com/sheepsfoot_roller.htm
I found this while doing a search. It is pulled by a tractor. do not now prices but might get ideas from pics.
Mike

 

[Molerj]

Nice pond! I see Northeast Ohio, how high up are you? Youngstown area?

 

[PineRidge]

Thanks so much for the compliment!

Our place is in Clinton a small berg between Akron and Canton.

 

[Panache]

If I remember right when the carp get over about 20 lbs they don't eat as much. Your local Thai resturant will buy them from you. Fresh Amur is a deliacy to them. Restock with 8-10" fish.

 

[rswyan]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Your local Thai resturant will buy them from you. Fresh Amur is a deliacy to them.)</font>

So Mike,

Will we be seeing fresh amur on the menu down at Vi Li's anytime soon ? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[chatcher]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( http://www.totalpatchers.com/sheepsfoot_roller.htm
I found this while doing a search. It is pulled by a tractor. do not now prices but might get ideas from pics.
Mike )</font>

That's exactly the type of thing I was thinking of, although much heavier empty than I expected!

 

[PineRidge]

Rswyan the wife and I kinda like to visit the "Oriental King's Buffet" on Arlington St. which is in the same building where the famous "Big Boy" resided for many years. If they did cook my crap, I mean carp I'de quickly cross the place off my eating list. Yuck! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Besides my wife, Rose has them all named so there isn't much chance of them leaving the pond with her ruling the roost.