Increasing pond size

[LeeL]

The pond on our property, when originally dug by the previous owner, had a shallow end. When the water levels were low it was only a wet grass area.
Last week I got a loaner Cat excavator to dig out the shallow end and connect it to the main pond. The wife stayed busy moving a little of the dirt with the Kubota.

 

[RNeumann]

Fun project- thx for posting!

 

[Thomas]

Now that's having to much fun. :thumbsup:

 

[big bubba]

pond spring fed or run off? (or maybe just water table related being in FL?)

 

[LeeL]

pond spring fed or run off? (or maybe just water table related being in FL?)

Yep it's the water table. Since last weekend and all the rain we've been getting the level is rising. Kathy and I got the grading done around it and laid the bahia sod on the banks.

 

[big bubba]

needs some caiman or alligators. looks good. will you landscape the margin of pond? irrigation will be easy.

 

[Tomtint]

....Gator heavin right there.. lol

 

[EddieWalker]

Nice job. Love seeing the wife out there working hard too!!!! Teamwork.

 

[/pine]

With a foot adz and a hand adz that pine log could be hewed into a good looking crocodile...!

 

[LeeL]

needs some caiman or alligators. looks good. will you landscape the margin of pond? irrigation will be easy.

Yep plan to plant some non invasive plants in areas and a few cypress trees. I doing some research now on them.
I also plan to aerate with bottom bubblers.

 

[LeeL]

Nice job. Love seeing the wife out there working hard too!!!! Teamwork.

I love the fact she doesn't mind getting dirty

 

[CADplans]

20 years ago, my sister had that done to the pond behind her house,,
the one acre pond was doubled in size,,,

They had a guy with a dragline excavate it out,,,
the counterweight on the dragline was multiple pieces,, and weighed 90,000 pounds,, JUST the weight of the counterweight.

Well, one night, the operator did not back away from the pond far enough,, the earth gave away,, the dragline flipped on its side, into the pond,,,

Luckily, the dragline owner knew some recovery specialist from Norfolk VA,,
the guy drove up with a one ton truck full of cable, and pulleys,,

They buried a 2 foot diameter, 20 foot long hickory that was cut from the farm they were on,,
using that as a deadman, buried over 15 feet deep,, the farm's 4WD JD tractor was hooked to the cable,,
and the tractor went close to 1/8 of a mile, pulling the cable,,

IIRC, the cable was a 6 way lay,,, that farm tractor never spun,, it simply pulled the giant dragline out of the pond, and flipped it back on its tracks,,

So, the moral of the story is,,, DO NOT park the excavator on loose soil over night,,,,

 

[LeeL]

The pond has come a long way. This weekend we planted 10 Bald Cypress trees around the pond edge and some other plants along the banks.