yet another pond

[OkeeDon]

Now that they're digging in earnest, and the water is starting to get in the way, they dig a deeper hole in the middle. This is for several reasons. To get more fill, to create a pocket for the water to recede and make it easier to dig the rest, and eventually in the hope of breaking through the hard pan layer so more water will flow into the pond.

This was the hardest thing for me to get my tongue around when I first started looking into a pond. I did internet searches and gots oodles of information - about Nothern ponds. and how they seal them with clay or a liner, and how to caluculate the runoff that will fill the pond. Well, things don't work that way down here. The land is flat, so there is essentially no runoff. There are no streams or springs. There is just the water in the ground. If you seal the pond, it would stay empty except for a little water from rainfall. We have to break through and create the world's biggest "leak" so the water can leak into our pond.

 

[Junkman]

you are missing one of these, but I will send this one in time for /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Christmas.

 

[OkeeDon]

4 PM Friday, the boss let's them knock off a little early to get a good start on the weekend. Doesn't look like much change from earlier in the day, except that they've hauled 36 - 20 yard truck loads out of it today. That's how we keep count - every time the truck is filled it adds 20 yards, except that I think I'm geting the best of the deal - they've been heaping that truck pretty full, since it's not going out on the highway and they don't have to worry about weight limits.

I mentioned the price a few months ago in another thread, but for those who may not have seen it, I'm paying $2.50 per cubic yard, start to finish. That includes prepping (skimming), digging, hauling, spreading, grading an compacting. The low end estimate (my own) is about 1600 yards, or about 80 truckloads. They did 19 on the first day and 36 yesterday, and they'll probably do at least that much on Monday, so it looks like my original estimate was a little low. I think that's because they're going deeper in the middle that I had anticipated. It's likely going to fall somewhere between 80 and 120 truckloads, which at $50 per load ($2.50 a yard) is between $4K and $6K.

I also paid a flat $900 to have the debris buried and $225 transportation to get the excavator here. The contract hires an equipment moving company rather than maintain a truck and trailer, and each client pays one-way for the transportation.

 

[OkeeDon]

I moved over to a spot near where my front porch will be, and stood up on the tractor to get to about the same elevation, and snapped this picture. the pond will come towards me to where the gray dirt shows. It's not quite as close at it looks in this photo - the camera tends to foreshorten it a bit.

 

[OkeeDon]

Same shot but a little to the left to get the rest of it.

 

[OkeeDon]

Meanwhile, work progressed on the road.

 

[OkeeDon]

She got almost through the trees to where the barn will be. My house will be to the immediate right in this picture, then comes the oak hammock that serves as a backdrop for the house, then on the other side of the oaks will be the barn. In this shot, the road is pointed right at the front of the barn. The road will actually bend back to the left and run past the front of the barn, then on to the property line and my daughter's property. There's something on the lens of my camera which only shows up when I'm shooting into the sun.

The contractor will be back Monday. They're running a bit behind; they've been hampered because a part has not yet come it to finish repairs on the dozer, and they've been working ahead without the dozer.

 

[OkeeDon]

<font color="blue"> you are missing one of these... </font>

Probably not for long. My son-in-law has had to have a gator removed from his point about 3 times in 6 years. So far, the biggest has only been about 6'. What we're really worried about is the dogs - they like to cool off in the pond, and gators like dog.

 

[jinman]

Don, that is a fascinating way to get water into a pond, but obviously, it works very well. What I'm curious about is that if you have water seeping into your pond, it must come with minerals. As the water evaporates, the mineral content of your pond would seem to increase and at some point, become very salty. Am I way off here? I just don't know how this type pond works. Also, don't you have to be careful where you would put a septic absorption field? Are traditional septic systems allowed, or do you have to use aerobic systems?

You must have some happy trees with the water table that high. In some cases they might get too much water. I just wonder how long it's going to take them to clear the water when they return on Monday. Perhaps you need a trash pump to move the water out of the pond while digging.

 

[have_blue]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( it must come with minerals. As the water evaporates, the mineral content of your pond would seem to increase and at some point, become very salty. )</font>

Florida has a magnificent aquifer. The sand is mostly coral and limestone, (right Don?) and this rich source of calcium is actually good for ponds. It is readily taken in by algae and phytoplankton. We have to add lots of lime to our ponds here. The rainy Florida climate has probably long since leached salt and minerals out, and the sand is "clean". Just a great big filter. I'm very jealous. There is no clean sand here. Only red clay-sand if you dig 10-12 feet. I think your sand is from ancient meandering river, right? I have seen some sparkling springs, creeks, and ponds in the Hill Country.

Pardon my rambling. I am thoroughly obsessed with building my pond. So much so, I have bought 2 tractors. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif