I have a 50 year old pond that backs up to a newer pond. I want to drain and dig the older one out. It goes dry in the summer except for a shallow 20x20 area. I have a D3 dozer and a massey 50c backhoe. Would this be enough or do I need an excavator? I'm open to any advise. The older pond is the smaller one on the pictures.
I'm guessing that the newer pond is feeding that 20x20 area in the older pond with water. Can you dig a trench so the water can escape out of the older pond basin?
If so, depending on how much time you have on your hands, you might be able to get by with the equipment that you have, providing you have a heavy enough chain to rescue the 50c if it gets stuck.
If it was my pond, and I could get a large enough excavator, I'd play it safe and get it. Scoop out the muck, let the D3 and 50c move the muck away from the pond.
The older pond is above(higher elevation) the newer pond. I guess it holds some water because that's the deepest part. There are some catfish in it so I was thinking about breaching the damn and letting the water run into the newer pond. Is that a bad idea? I have plenty of time to dig it. What size of excavator do you suggest?
I think it's a bad idea for 2 reasons. If you breach the dam, the flowing water will carry a LOT of dirt into the other pond. I'd seine or trap out the catfish.
Catfish are so inexpensive to buy, I'd just put new ones in the other pond if you really want to have them there. When they get over 3# they compete for Bass for food. But, it all depends on what your goals are for the pond.
As for the size of the excavator, I'd get the biggest one you can afford. Move as much dirt as you can as fast as you can out of the pond basin. Return it to the rental yard ASAP and spread out the muck/dirt with your equipment. Make sure the muck/dirt is piled far enough away from the pond so a heavy rainstorm won't wash any back into the pond.
If the older pond has a clay liner be careful not to break thru the liner or the pond might not hold water after you're done. If the problem is that it doesn't hold water, then once all the muck/dirt is dug out, make sure you compact the whole pond basin. There's another recent thread about using a sheepsfoot roller to compact the pond - find it and read it. Good info there.
