Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Pond Restoration

My wife and I just bought 50 acres with 1 large pond approx. 2 acres and a small pond approx. 1/2 acre which is 2 foot at it's deepest. Both have much bottoms and no aeration.

We'd like to fish/swim in the big pond and fish the little one but have no clue how/where to start or how much money it will take.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Here is some decent reading for renovating old farm ponds :

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/landowner/oldfarmponds.pdf

dcm
Welcome to the forum you and your wife will love this as much as the 50 ac and the ponds.

You started at the right place-getting information.

With the info you can make some plans of what you want and what it will cost.

Do you know how much drainage you have, or if the ponds are spring feed?
This will tell you how much the water level will move up and down. Lots of times a pond that is 2 feet deep will not any water in it after a hot dry period.

Do either have any fish?

What shape is the dam are there any trees on it does it seep any on the back side?

OTTo

I would get some depth info on the larger pond. Can you take a boat out and do some sounding?

Wow. Thank you all for the tips. Both ponds appear to be run-off and both are rectangle a few trees and grass around the big pond and trees and cattails, etc. around the small one.

Hi Dcm! Welcome to Pond Boss. First off, contratulations on the purchase of your property - that is always an exciting time. The experts will give you better advice but here are some of my thoughts:

1. Are there any fish in the larger pond? You didn't mention any and that can have an effect of future stocking plans.

2. This issue of pond boss has a great article about contour mapping your own lake. Which brings me to my second point. Read, read and read some more. Pond Boss is a great magazine it has excellent articles about various issues of Pond Management. It's a terrific resource. In addition there are some fantastic reference books available (Bob Lusk's books are very informative).

3. Glad ya found this web site. There are experts a plenty on this forum, you've already heard from a couple.

4. You will need to determine a budget. Then double it. Kinda of saying that in jest but once you get hooked on pond meistering it seems as though the checkbook leaches money.

That's all from the honey roasted cashew gallery (I'm not a huge peanut fan).

Dcm
Keep a close eye on the water level. Let us know what it does.

Has the dam got vegetation to protect it or is it raw dirt.

Does the spillway look like it has been used much? Are there any washed out places on the dam or in the spillway?

Just some things to look at to see if anything needs work.

OTTO

Nice link, but the prices are outdated big time on what it would cost. Finding a dozer of that size (pictured) for $85 will not happen more like $100 -120 an our with fuel that way it is. I've dug out many, many ponds and always use an excavator (trackhoe)
it's much more faster than a dozer, you don't have to wait for the mud to dry before removing it, and the finish product will look much better.

Chris

Been working for a few days and missed the link with the picture, but without seeing the picture it would be hard to find a dozer for 85 dollars an hour that could do much work.

The trackhoe is almost always better if you move mud.

otto

Just to put my two cents in...

When I bought my place and diesel was $1.65, I paid $65 an hour for a D6. I got a quote from 3 different guys here in Texas at $85/hr for 2 D6's and a new D5. That was this past spring. Diesel then was $4.35. Now it is $4.65. Following a logical reasoning, a price jump of $20/hr for a fuel price increase of 163% I can understand. A price jump of $20 for an increase of 7% is not logical. I know prices are going up for everybody, but people need to keep things in reason.

dcm

Jump back in. You will be able to get some prices in your area when it is time for you to do some work.

OTTO

The average cost of renovation in our neck of the woods runs on average $ 18,000.00 per acre that is with final stocking and aeration if you have to double this then the man estimating is not seeing the project in his head a rule of thumb is when your contractor is standing beside you for the first time and you explain the scope of your vision in a short period of time he should come back to you where everything should be placed and his vision also a verbal ball park price that should be within 10% when you get the written estimate. There are many out there to chose from look at previous work and old pond has a seal that sometimes takes years to acheive especially around dams tnis is where many renovations fail

Pricing is always an issue. It is hard to get a firm price without some measurements of yardage.

otto

Has anyone used a hydraulic submersible Pump for muck removal?

Hi Doug, that's a good question, but it might get lost, buried in the middle of this thread.
I'd start a new thread and I'll bet you get some good responses.
Welcome !

rmedgar gives good advice. In the meantime, muck is some thick stuff.

There was a company that was mentioned a few years back on the forum who would come to your pond and dive with vacuum hoses and suck the muck from your pond. If I had to guess, the muck was easier to move with a good bit of water dilluting it.

But if you are talking about putting a pump down in the muck to suck it out, I'd have my doubts.

Also, welcome to Pond Boss.

Hi Doug

Glad to have you.

I am not sure what kind of pump you are talking about.

Almost every water hole in the country needs some muck removal.
Please let us know some more info and there will be a lot of feedback.

Thanks for coming

Otto