Silt Happens!

jinman · May 1, 2006

Now I can plant some grass too. I've suddenly got plenty of water to keep the grass seed wet until it germinates. I don't think I'll be able to lower this level much. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If you look far into the background of this photo, you can see our lake too. It's within 2' of the overflow, up about 6' from it's previous level.

Did I mention that my garden got watered pretty well too? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

OOPS! Wrong photo. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

jinman · May 1, 2006

We are supposed to have a little more rain this week. I could easily handle another 2" rain. The pond can come up two more feet before overflow and my second pond where this one overflows is still down over 3'. Here is a photo of my spillway. It doesn't seem to wash out much, perhaps because it is native soil. I do want to get some grass here, but any seed would be washed away. I may end up putting down some rock. Decisions, decisions... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

BB_TX · May 1, 2006

Looking good, Jim. Thankfully looks like you got the rain without the storm damage some got. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bird · May 1, 2006

( Woohoo! 5" of rain. )

I guess you're talking about that little "storm" Friday night. I got a grand total of slightly less than .75" here; about half was that light rain during the day and the other half during a 10 minute downpour about 10:45 p.m.

wroughtn_harv · May 1, 2006

You got about a quarter of an inch total more than we did here in Wylie Bird. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

But we'll take what we get and be thankfull.

I guess the storm saw "Sunset" and decided to stop for awhile. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

jinman · May 1, 2006

( Thankfully looks like you got the rain without the storm damage some got. )

You are right, Bill. We've been missing the bulk of the rain while areas south and east have had most of it. This storm moved across primarily between 4 pm and 5 pm on Friday night with very little wind and no lightening to speak of. I guess by the time it moved another 30 miles northeast to the Lindsey-Gainesville area, it had gained considerable strength. It was a little "if-fy" in south Wise County around Boyd for a few hours on Friday night too. That's where my stepson and his family live. About 10 pm they were huddled in their bathroom with storm sirens going off. No damage though... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

OKnewguy · May 1, 2006

I know there were parts of Lake Texhoma that the news said got 8", we got 5" in OKC, and they still have not lifted the burn ban in the state!! Anway, it was great to get some moisture, the pond looks great!!!
Dave

texasjohn · May 1, 2006

jinman, congrats on getting the tank full.. Wish I had one that large!.. I usually say it doesn't rain during a drought, but sometimes it floods!!

Thanks for the post of your rock bucket photos... wish I had that... what brand is it..approximate cost? I am interested in what features you like or don't. Looks like it does a good job. I'd like to have one some day.

Do you have any comments from experience about the advisability of seeking to put long points on a bucket with toothbar and digging rocks that way... I know it wouldn't sift dirt out... would just too much dirt get picked up to make it impractical?

EddieWalker · May 2, 2006

Jim,

The pond looks great!!!

How much erosion problems did you have?

I got 1 3/4 inches of rain from that storm and have huge ditches dug to keep water OUT of my lakesite. The erosion in those channels is just amazing. There is allot of dirt flowing down them and I know when it comes time to start filling the lake, silt will be a big issue.

Eddie

jinman · May 2, 2006

( Thanks for the post of your rock bucket photos... wish I had that... what brand is it..approximate cost? I am interested in what features you like or don't. Looks like it does a good job. I'd like to have one some day.)

John, the rock bucket is a S-Houle brand. My dealer had this 60" bucket as a demo and sold it to me for $1495. I think they retail for a couple hundred more. They are very expensive, but also very tedious to make with the spring-steel tines. For my tractor, the 5' bucket is perfectly sized.

I am skeptical of putting long tines on a toothbar. One of the great advantages of the tines of the rock bucket and the sloping hood of my tractor is that I can see exactly where the tine tips are and their angle to the ground. If the rock is at least football sized on up to the maximum capacity of the bucket, I can scoop it up very easily. Loose soil helps, but it's not absolutely necessary. If the rocks are too small, they fall thru the tines, but that's less than 2" thick.

Heres a link to the manufacturer:
Rock Bucket

The grapple is one I bought from Andy Tatro and put on the rock bucket. I didn't want to spend what the manufacturer wanted to charge for their grapple. Mine works great. Here is a link to the thread where I installed it: Get a Grip

Eddie Walker: Eddie, I had some erosion of dirt on the sides of the pond, but I'd guess less than two yards total. Most of the water comes down my valley for 300 yards and the grass helps to filter it before it gets to the pond. I put several loads of rocks in the channel on the left side of the penninsula so the water could cascade down them instead of eroding dirt. Also, the hillside where we held our fishfry erodes, but that water is redirected and most of the silt and mud stay out of the pond. I think some grass and some rocks in a few strategic places and I'll be set. The erosion pattern is a "roadmap" for where you need to do something. If I get rock on the terrace downslopes, that will take care of a huge amount of the mud. Also, once a pond is near full, the sides don't erode like they do when the pond is new and nearly empty.

I never thought I'd say this, but it has to dry up a little before I can get in there to work again. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif