Filling a cistern

[newbury]

Burning things can be FUN!
and it will get the rats and snakes out.

 

[civilian]

Do you have a backhoe with a hydraulic thumb or mini ex with thumb? Reach in with bucket and thumb, pull some wood out to see what else is down there. Then decide what to do. But is the ground strong enough to support your backhoe? Old bomb shelter? Keep us posted if you find anything. Jon

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Ideally you need to get to the bottom, to punch a hole in it so it is free draining.

As to getting air in so it can burn, a vent pipe hooked to a blower is a good idea. Get it as far in as you can, and then work it in further as the fire Burns things out of the way. I’d also recommend a 50/50 mix of diesel and gasoline as an accelerant to get it started burning. Shouldn’t take a lot, but. I’m fairly sure it will take some.

 

[RalphVa]

You've a start on kugelkultur for that little area. Just finish filling it in and grow some good stuff there.

 

[Number15]

Gonna try and light it today. I figure I have about 10% chance of it catching. It's been wet here lately.

 

[Egon]

To do it properly consider bringing in a large hoe, about twenty foot depth, and dig it out.

 

[Number15]

well I used a lot of petroleum products and as predicted it would not light. It was fun watching the flame front in the bowl of the cistern.

As for punching a hole in it, with the amount of rain we have been getting this thing should be full. Initially I had an idea to fill it and float the wood out. I quickly saw that it would not be possible to do that, for a few reasons.

 

[ruffdog]

I'd be pulling that wood out and drying it so I could burn it in the woodstove. Who knows what is down there? Good or bad I would find out!

 

[LouNY]

A slight variation of shoot, shovel and shut up; fill it and forget it.

 

[tomplum]

You've a start on kugelkultur for that little area. Just finish filling it in and grow some good stuff there.

My wife converted the main garden to this. Personally, I think the jury is still out. The snakes love it though so that's a plus.

 

[marhar]

Be careful. In my part of the country there are old hand dug wells. In particular there was one on the farm and the old well house was missing. The former land owner placed boards over the hole (not the best way to handle the hazard). Over the last 50 years the well slowly filled itself in.

I agree with those that say get the wood out. Filling with sand is the best option if it is readily available. Sand settles less than soil. I would mound the sand just as Egon said.

 

[gtuttle]

Found what I think is a cistern while mowing the other day. Luckily I saw it as I think it could have been disastrous if a tractor wheel found it first.

it's around 5ish feet in diameter and lined with some kind of mortar or clay and concrete. PO seems to have tried to fill it with tree parts but I am thinking that is not the best solution.

Right now it looks like an awesome burn pit. I will however need to fill this, it is to big of a liability. Should I remove/burn the wood that is in there? I am thinking as it rots it will settle. When filling should I use all dirt? I was thinking perhaps fill it with some kind of rock and topping it with dirt. Or should I go full bore and call the concrete truck I have no idea how deep it is at this point.

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It looks like a fire pit. I would burn the wood and fill with dirt creating a mound.

 

[Number15]

It looks like a fire pit. I would burn the wood and fill with dirt creating a mound.

Pictures don't really show scale. I would estimate 5 and a half feet across and I can see down about 3 or more feet. That would be one big fire pit.

For those saying get the wood out. I am not going in this thing unless I absolutely have to. All I need is for something to shift and snag my foot. No way.

 

[ruffdog]

Let Geraldo Rivera know about a possible hidden treasure in your pit. You could make some money and have the pit excavated at the same time.

 

[TractorGuy]

I would want to dig it out and then fill. Too easy to forget things like that as years pass.

When I built my house I went all electric. Previously we had propane for cooking and heat. The tank was buried out by the edge of our property and repeated requests to have the gas company come get it went ignored. It was their tank. About 5 years later I backed a brush hog over it and ruptured the valve. When I heard the clanging and looked back at the sparks I immediately remembered there was a buried gas tank there. The fire department had no problem at all getting the gas company to respond but it was an exciting moment in tractoring.

Fortunately the gas didn't ignite. The gas company guy connected a copper tube that ran out a 100 feet from it and lit the end to burn it off. It had 250 gallons of gas in it.

 

[Sidney71]

I would not burn . I would get some sand and fill it with that. Sand packs tighter when it settles. Just add a little more in a year or so.

 

[Gord Baker]

Toss in a few gallons of Diesel and let it burn . When it goes out, fill with boulders then concrete
It is likely an old Well.

 

[bigtiller]

If it is an old well, it really should be filled with bentonite to protect the ground water.

 

[ljjhouser]

I would fill it with dirt, or crushed rock then dirt. I would not use concrete. You may have use for that land in a few years, and concrete, while valuable, cost more to remove that the original cost. I hope it is a cistern, not a well. Easier to deal with. If adding dirt, might try to compact it as you go. If possible. Good Luck

 

[Handloader109]

Arghhhh it isnt a well.... It is a cistern. fill and forget. there is zero reason to burn, or remove anything.