Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam dam progress

Well, I've finally pulled the trigger! I am almost proud of myself, as I type there is progress being made on my dam that I've been stuing about for years.

You guys probably don't remember, but I've got a site in front of my house that is ideal for a 8-10 acre lake, but the bottom of the valley is limestone rock under about 5 feet of gravely soil. Here in the Ozark mountains of Missouri it's a crapshoot, but I've blew on the dice and their out of my hands now.

I do have several reservations, as the site is less than ideal - but I know it's a gamble and I'm just gritting my teeth. I hired a 68 year old pond builder who has been building them in this area for better than 40 years. I was going to attempt it myself, but I have bowed out. I posted my story here a few years ago.

Here's today's question though: How much of a kiss of death is it if the clay that he is bringing into the core is pretty dry?

I didn't think it was that dry, but I went down in there yesterday and it's more dry than I would like it. I mentioned that to my builder, but he works by himself and didn't seem to hip on the idea of trying to find a source for watering the layers down. Looking back I should've took off from work and done it myself, but I wasn't aware of the condition of the clay.

He said that he didn't think it would be that dry either since he dug a pond last week and had plenty of moisture. I spread a ton of bentonite in the bottom of the core yesterday for peace of mind. I came up with the idea of stopping the dam about two feet above natural ground level to see if the water would hold in a six foot deep hole that I dug upstream from the dam. I mention this to point out that the dam won't be complete, really just the core - I know, the important part.

Problem is he is going to be mostly done today - I just thought I'd get some comments.

Troy

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Robinson,

How deep and by what means do you core the limestone?

2' deep into the rock and ho ram. I don't know if it is the thing to do. Contractor did 3 lakes each 3 - 5 acres. 2 of the 3 worked, and we are in a karst regions. Mine did not at least yet. It is holding 2 acres and should hold 5. This said, there is a lot I can do, mainly sealing an old creek ditch, which sits 4' above the bedrock. I thing the water was going down critter holes. As you know, bedrock is fractured, and it has found it, and has bypassed my dam all together.

Looks like some bigger experts than me around here would help you or comment on your lake. 10 acres is a large body of water, and hopefully somebody will be interested in helping.


Anyway, good luck to you and I wish you the best of luck. You mentioned it best by saying "crapshoot". I hope it doesn't cost you to much.