Making a pond with a tractor ?

[rmorgan]

Ron--

Sorry for using code. A keyway is a slot under the (or just the bottom of the dam--hard to find words) which goes well below the deepest point of the pond bottom. Clay is layered into the keyway and then built up to the top of the dam. The end result, in our case, is that for a pond 12' deep at the middle, the dam is a bar of clay about 20' +/- from top to bottom. Even if hydraulics somehow ate away the entire side of the pond on the dam side so that it had a flat bottom, water would not be able to migrate under the dam. Also, the keyway interrupts two rock strata so that water can't wick along the rock and permeate the dam. I was able to find a photo of our keyway in mid-work which shows the concept.

 

[jinman]

Rick, your advice is right on target in my opinion. Your "keyway" picture tells a story that is undeniable. Can you give us some details as to pond size, cost, and what type of overflow pipe you put into the dam? Also, was there a natural gulley you dammed up or did you have to excavate?

 

[buck1]

Eventhough I would love the seat time, my opinion is that you're better off getting a dozer to do it, particularly with it being spring fed.

 

[JIMCT]

Jim you must be staying up too late, at 10 minutes per yard it would take 733.33 hours to move 4400 yards.

 

[jrlichina]

Yeah that would only be like 92 days at 8 hours a day.... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[monkeybreath]

Thanks for all of the input. Hopefully next week I will have another estimate or two. Will also try to take and post some photos if I can figure out exactly how to do that. Maybe my daughter can teach her dad how to create a web page where I can post photos and progress on projects. Re Fish and Game - I will check that out carefully - I have heard that putting in a pond without their "permit" could present a problem. The person I obtained the first quote from said that they were easy to work with here and encouraged pond building. . . but I will proceed carefully.

 

[froggy]

You should check out www.pondboss.com.

It is an excellent site for information about tanks and ponds. It also publishes a magazine about ponds & all the aspects of building, maintaining and stocking them.

 

[sendero]

The town of Whitesboro TX is about 4 miles from our place. My wife noticed and pointed out the PondBoss office the last time we went into town.

I'm so glad they are close by, because the 1/3 acre pond I have is just not big enough /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Someday, I'll grab someone there and let them tell me how to expand it properly /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif