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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,429 Likes: 20
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,429 Likes: 20 |
In the warmer months, or when we have thunderstorms as the main source of rainfall, we seem to be in a small rain shadow. There is a hill to the west and SW about six miles distant, running mostly N-S. It rises about 700-800 feet above surrounding terrain. There are other hills a bit further to the south, running E-W, that rise a little higher still. That seems small, but I really think it diminishes our warm season rainfalls that come up from the Gulf of Mexico.
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,113 Likes: 76
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,113 Likes: 76 |
John, I've been thinking the same thing. The town I live in is called High Ridge and it didn't get it's name for nothing. It's one of the highest areas around here and I'm on the NE side of it and most of my rain comes from the S and SW.
Bob
I Subscribe To Pond Boss
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57 |
I picked up 5 Christmas trees off the streets. Plans are to get a few more today. I add them along the shoreline as brush piles and I also add them to a couple of poles that stand in a couple of areas in the pond that has 5' of water next to 10' drop off's. I add a tree or two to each pole every year. One thing I have seen from adding them along the shoreline is the TFS gather up around the trees during the early spring, I suspect they are spawning on the trees. I am hoping to keep my threadfins this winter but these cold rainy days we have been having could hurt my TFS survival this winter. I have also seen another spot on the banks where the Otter has been pooping. I have caught two but this one seems to have figured out where the traps are set.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Tracy
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 215 Likes: 2
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 215 Likes: 2 |
Been gaining significantly for the past 6 weeks or so. A lot of brush clearing in the forest is paying off, there are new areas of runoff flowing into the pond. Up perhaps four feet. Still have trickles coming in from the woods. another 18 to 24 inches and we'll see how the primary overflow works!
I'm living at the pond now so I can see the runoff as it happens. Lawn areas are immediately productive and drain within minutes. I have decent Bermuda grass to manage erosion.
Forest areas must saturate, perhaps over several rain events, but then they start steady flows down each small wash. These flows may run for a week or more this time of year.
One forested hill along the pond is sand. All year it has a water table perhaps 15 feet above pond level. It seeps all year. A hole dug, even well above the pond will fill slowly. It's nice this time of year as a good looking green moss has filled in large patches and it looks great from the house.
My take away is that watershed, like our pond, is a much more complex system than most people think.
4 acre pond 32 ft deep within East Texas (Livingston) timber ranch. Filled (to the top of an almost finished dam) by Hurricane Harvey 9/17. Stocked with FHM, CNBG, RES 10/17. Added 35lbs RSC 3/18. 400 N LMB fingerlings 6/18
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116 |
We just got 1.5” yesterday. With the ground saturated, I’m sure it’s going out my overflow pipe this morning. I’m in Arkansas with new granddaughter, so I won’t see it until later this week. I should have raised my feeder a foot or so too. I imagine the bottom of the feeder is under. Hopefully not the lower motor. It’s been a while since we’ve had water going out the pipe.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57 |
Congrats, on the new Granddaughter
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Tracy
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,113 Likes: 76
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,113 Likes: 76 |
Jeff, congratulations on the new Granddaughter, and the rain!I don't think I'll get as much as you did but it was raining here this morning pretty good but has slowed down now and is close to over. It all helps!
Bob
I Subscribe To Pond Boss
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,429 Likes: 20
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,429 Likes: 20 |
We received just under 0.8" of rain from this storm overnight until it stopped about 9 AM this morning.
The old pond is up over 15" since November, but still 18" low. The newer pond is up about 12" since November, and only needs 2" more until full pool. Runoff is still occurring.
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116 |
Congrats, on the new Granddaughter Thx. I’d post a pic, but you guys would all be jealous. I’m told she’s the cutest one ever.. just kidding..
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,267 Likes: 553
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,267 Likes: 553 |
Congrats, on the new Granddaughter Thx. I’d post a pic, but you guys would all be jealous. I’m told she’s the cutest one ever.. just kidding.. It would be fun figuring WR though! :-))
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,800 Likes: 72
Hall of Fame 2014
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Hall of Fame 2014
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,800 Likes: 72 |
Shot a hog today...he was a big one My buddy dropped him with one shot from his 30/30 I finished off the wiggly legs with AR-15 my buddy me
Fishing has never been about the fish....
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,084 Likes: 282
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,084 Likes: 282 |
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,326 Likes: 307
Moderator
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Moderator
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,326 Likes: 307 |
It is.
Mark, have you been getting any hog damage, or are they just roaming at your place?
AL
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,959 Likes: 188
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,959 Likes: 188 |
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,800 Likes: 72
Hall of Fame 2014
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Hall of Fame 2014
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,800 Likes: 72 |
Mark, have you been getting any hog damage, or are they just roaming at your place? Al so far not really any hog damage around the cabins....it seems the hogs pretty much stay down in the bottom land/woods that has a creek bed and quite a few spots with standing water after a rain for a few days. I see hog track almost always when I walk back there.
Fishing has never been about the fish....
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 998 Likes: 57
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 998 Likes: 57 |
That was a good one Mark.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,084 Likes: 282
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,084 Likes: 282 |
I see tracks but have only briefly seen 2 hogs this year
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116 |
Got up here late today. We had 1.5” rain a few days ago. It brought the pond up 5”, almost full. It did catch my feeder when it came up.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,907 Likes: 148
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OP
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,907 Likes: 148 |
IS the feeder OK? Maybe you can make a flotation mount in the future? Pond looks good when it is that full! Any activity noted?
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57 |
I have been there, done that when it comes to TH feeder and rising waters. I was lucky enough to get some help to move it asap. Those dam things are heavy! I wound up building a platform using some two by fours and one by six's. a mini pier so to speak. It hang's out about 3' above and over the waters edge and make's a pretty good fishing platform also.
Had another Otter in a trap, that's three along with one beaver over the past few weeks. Pond is a magnet when it comes to otters and beavers. I have to keep a close eye out along with a few traps set after seeing any signs of either.
Water is now going through the syphon at the pond. Fish are fairly active at the feeders. Want to check water temps after this past rain event.
Last edited by TGW1; 01/04/19 08:44 AM.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Tracy
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116 |
IS the feeder OK? Maybe you can make a flotation mount in the future? Pond looks good when it is that full! Any activity noted? It does look better, that’s for sure. I imagine the feeder is ok. The water didn’t get to the lower motor. I had disconnected the battery earlier, so no water was thrown up into the feeder. There were some swirls out in the water. I did not throw any food out. It got down to 20 later that evening. I backed the feeder up the bank. Should have done it earlier, but most rains bypass our place. Another front coming through Monday. But it’s just a couple inches from the pipe. If we could just get regular predicted rainfall, it would always look like this. Ha! Looking down behind the dam, there’s moisture in the old ravine bottom, but I really think it’s just recent rain coming off the sides of the ravine and back of the dam. If I have a leak, it’s impossible to find it. Wet spot is pooled water in the ravine, no current to it.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,911 Likes: 116 |
Tracy, It’s amazing how much you have to deal with beavers and otters. I always think of them as mountain critters. Glad traps work on them. Wish I could run a feeder a little longer. (When the aqua-pro is working). I just had a small amount of feed in it, so walking it up the bank on the back legs wasn’t bad. When it’s full, it’s a two man job. Jeff
Last edited by SetterGuy; 01/04/19 09:19 AM.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,959 Likes: 188
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,959 Likes: 188 |
Sure having a lot of cormorants feeding? They can really put away the fish. Watched one grab a oversized BG and couldn’t swallow it kept diving and coming back up again. The funny thing was that an osprey dove down and stole the BG from the cormorant! Was watching with binoculars so it was really cool to see . Funny thing that 4 cormorants over 2 days died on the water..... poisoned fish maybe..... to much lead I guess.... lol
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,429 Likes: 20
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,429 Likes: 20 |
We received 1.28" of rain. The new pond is running over now, and the old (renovated slow leaker) is only 13" low. We'll see soon if more settling of the dam has occurred. I didn't see any fish out the spillway of the newer pond. Hopefully, the fish are staying deeper this time of year.
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,907 Likes: 148
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OP
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,907 Likes: 148 |
YES!! Really glad for you John that the water is coming and the ponds are flowing over!
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