Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,900
Posts557,095
Members18,452
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,415
ewest 21,475
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
9 members (esshup, Sunil, jpsdad, azteca, BillyE, H20fwler, FishinRod, Augie, PRCS), 719 guests, and 270 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
#355207 10/24/13 11:12 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
After building our own 3.5 acre pond and reclaiming a 40 year old farm pond on our own property recently, decided to tackle our son's old pond on his property. I think it was built about 50 years ago by the then owner with an RD7 Cat dozer. I'm guessing it is about an acre, maybe 1.5. It was basically dried up but very mucky in the bottom. The overflow pipe had been destroyed and washed out of the dam in one spot.

Very mucky in the bottom. Trying to work down to hard clay for enough traction to push it. The problem I run into on both this pond and the old one of my own I renovated is the deepest place is near the dam, the exact place I wish to push the material. But it is also the wettest so can not get traction to push that direction. So like on the other pond, I have to push the muck out the side of the pond, then again push it around to where I want it. Long slow process, but it gets there eventually. We used our 12 yard carryall dirt scraper pulled by a 65E Cat farm tractor on my old pond to move the muck from the side around to the back of the dam. Not sure on this one how it will work out. May just use the dozer for it all.

Luckily I am blessed with nice equipment to do the job. The D6N XL is our farm dozer that we use to patch terraces and waterways and make other improvements around the farm. We also have a 12 yard scraper and a JCB TLB along with an IT28 Cat loader. So one way or another, it the weather cooperates, the muck will get moved.

Only stuck once so far and the JD9300 4wd tractor and 4" diameter rope pulled it out easily. Decided I could not start on the lowest point. Have to work my way to it. May have to leave a spot in the middle. That is what I did in my old pond. So shallower water near the dam and the deep end opposite. You can see the old dam in the top of the "stuck in mud here" picture.

I guess this will be my Christmas present to my son and his young family.

snrub

Attached Images
Jpond before renovation.jpg Mucking out pond bottom Jpond.jpg JP D6N XL was stuck in mud.jpg
Last edited by snrub; 10/24/13 11:27 PM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
B
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
B
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
Interesting post


"I love living. I have some problems with my life, but living is the best thing they've come up with so far." � Neil Simon,
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
I only put in 4 or five hours a day so progress is slow. Still pushing muck. Got down to clay and thought I had it made. Pushed really well for about an hour then hit pocket of muck and was back to pushing muck.

Taking the spoil around to the back of the old dam. Not too worried about leaks as the old dam seems sound except for the break in the overflow. Will look for some good clay for that repair. I'll have a lot of excessive dirt to get rid of so the dam will end up really thick with a really nice gentle slope on the back side - maybe a 5 to 1. The old dam was typical of farm ponds of the day created primarily for livestock watering - thin and steep sides. Too steep to mow. A good place to get rid of all the old mucky dirt.

You can see how wet the dirt is by the dozer tracks.

There are two trees visible in the photo growing in the dam. I know trees are a no-no in a dam but am going to leave them anyway. Will add about a 20 foot pad on the front side about a foot above water level to make a nice spot for the grandkids to fish in the shade and to make some extra thickness in the dam to help prevent future problems the tree might cause. Along with all the dirt I am putting on the back side of the dam along with the fact that there will only be about 5 foot of water depth against the dam I don't forsee the trees causing any serious problems for at least twenty years. I debated on taking the trees out, but liked the shade and did not like the idea of destroying that portion of the old dam and worry about getting a sound patch there.

Rebuilding old ponds compared to just building a new one has advantages and disadvantages. The trees around the perimeter and the "character" that people spend lots of money to create in their new pond is already there. On the other hand, when built form scratch you know exactly what the core of the dam consists of and that old nutrients and whatever lurks in the old dirt of an old pond are not going to be a problem.

snrub

Attached Images
Jpond2 010.JPG Jpond2 015.JPG Jpond2 017.JPG
Last edited by snrub; 10/25/13 11:21 PM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,415
Likes: 793
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,415
Likes: 793
Where the dam washed out, can you cut a hole wide enough for the dozer and push the muck thru the opening?

Maybe by doing that it will allow more water to drain out, helping to make the muck more solid?


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
I did cut it wide enough to make sure I get some good material in there to bond with the old dam. The problem is it is just solid enough to drive the dozer on the material along that side of the pond where the break enters. I have been using that side part time to make a circle after spreading the material behind the dam to get back to the point of pushing material. I'm afraid if I start pushing through it I will just destroy my access point as I don't think it would stand up. The other problem is two nice oak trees are directly behind the area (which I want to leave) I would need to push material into before I could spread it behind the dam so would be very limited in any area to stockpile.

Plan A was to do all the work in the bottom of the pond and get as much material out of the bottom before rains came. The "plan" quickly went to plan B as I ran out of room to stockpile and the pile I created was getting tall enough and slick enough it was getting hard to get any decent amount of material moved. So I had to move the pile to its final destination to get room to work again. I imagine I will get about to plan L or Z before this is all done.

It is coming along. Just kind of slow where the push is considerably longer than I would like it to be. That said, on this smaller pond it is not any longer than the length I pushed material in my new pond although all the really long hauls were done with a scraper.

I'm taking some chances here. Chances that a contractor or perhaps someone paying good money for a contractor would not want to risk the investment. I just want to point this out to anyone following this thread should they decide to do something similar. The muck I am pushing out is going mostly behind the old dam to strengthen it and give it some "backup" should the old dam be not quite as sound as I think it is. After all, there is no easy way that I know to really know what the inside looks like without destroying it and starting over (and that might have been the better choice). But the material I am using is mostly sediment muck. Not what a person would really desire for the dam, were he building a new one, to be made of. I'm just going by the seat of my pants and what I have seen done for small cow ponds around this area for as long as I have lived. They seemed to have worked, although some of them with minor leaks. I am hoping that the sheer volume of material I will be putting behind the dam will be adequate should the old dam have some internal damages from old roots or rodents. If a person was paying good money to have his pond renovated rather than a semi-retired farmer taking some of his farm equipment and doing a freebie for his son and family I suspect they would not want to rely on "hope" that it would work out. That being said, I really do believe there will be enough mass involved to cure any weakness in "the plan". I just wanted to point that out as well as that I am not a professional contractor, construction equipment operator or pond consultant so should anyone try what I am doing like I am doing it they do it at there own risk, as I am. I will report if we end up with a leaky, undesirable pond though.

I don't know exactly what I am doing but that has never stopped me before. The new 3.5 acre pond we built we did "by the book" from a NRCS plan and it turned out very nice. The old pond we renovated an eighth mile away I went by the seat of my pants quite as an afterthought (the dozer ran out of anything to do on the new pond while the scraper was working on long hauls so I thought, what the heck, Ill push around in this old dried up pond for a half day. A half day of projected work turned into many days over a period in spits and spurts of a year but it turned out nice).

I welcome suggestions (thanks for yours) and even criticisms and pointing out what might not work as I progress. I already know the trees are problematic for longevity. It is somewhat of an experiment that I think will turn out ok but lots of things I have tried have not over the years, so this might not either (no risk, no reward).

I have never got around to doing my profile so here are a couple pictures of the new 3.5 acre pond and the old renovated pond not far from it. I just got the old pond dam smoothed down and seeded before starting on the son's pond. Both ponds are about a foot below full pool because of extended dry weather, although they have both been full to the point of overflowing.

John

Attached Images
Dad's old cow pond.JPG New p from patio.JPG New P from south.JPG
Last edited by snrub; 10/26/13 09:30 AM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 99
F
Offline
F
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 99
Looks like some fun projects! And great looking pond. I have been trying to hire somebody to renovate my pond in LaGrange, Texas for 2 month, all are too busy, and now the rain has FINALLY started? It is in need of a demucking just like yours.

Rob C

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
It is starting to look like a pond.

FINALLY got to the bottom and got the dozer on semi-solid ground so I can get something done. Probably have 2/3 of the deepest part of the bowl cleaned out. If I can get the lower portion all cleaned out even if it rains and water accumulates in the bottom I can work on the shallower portions with runoff contained on the deepest portion.

You can see in the photos what 50 years of muck accumulation looks like in a pond. Raining today so wish I could have got another day in and would have had the deep part done. I did get a deep hole made away from the remaining muck and if we get only a little runoff it should accumulate there and not bother the process too bad. If we get a gully washer what you see in the pictures may be what the bottom of the pond looks like going forward.

I am in that tiny portion of SE Kansas that gets something like 42" rainfall annual average and sometimes it starts raining in the fall and does not dry out till spring. Hopefully not this year. They are only calling for small rainfall amounts this event. Made to to about 10' depth max and that is where I will quit.



snrub

Attached Images
Jpond3 024.JPG Jpond3 025.JPG Jpond3 031.JPG
Last edited by snrub; 10/29/13 10:44 AM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177
Likes: 28
L
Offline
L
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177
Likes: 28
I would be very curious to get the soil tested just under the muck line. I have seen a few folks on here who have renovated a pond like this but had problems with clarity and algae blooms after it filled back up. I am wondering if a high degree of nutrients leaches out of the muck into the subsoil being exposed, and if so, how to remedy that nutrient load so it doesn't return to the water too fast. Now would be the opportunity to check it out.

If high in nutrients, perhaps line the pond with a fresh layer of clay before filling? Perhaps dig a little lower and see if there is less down below?

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Good ideas but not going to happen. Rained last night and with whats in the forecast the last fourth of the muck may have to stay in the bottom of the pond. So nutrients could be a problem. About two feet of water in the bottom hole now. I was able to work 4 hours in the mist & rain today and clean out most of the rest of the upper part of the bowl but was unable to get back to the muck in the bottom.

What is interesting is that most newly dug ponds around here (unless lined back with top soil like my new pond) are a muddy brown caused from clay suspension in our typical clay subsoils. Often so muddy hard to get a plankton bloom. Old silted in ponds are usually clear. They are likely overgrown with lily pads and other pond weeds but the water is clear compared to a newly dug pond. The only time I see a pond with a blue-green algae problem is if there are lots of cattle with manure runoff and cattle standing in the pond. Or if a lot of poultry litter gets spread on the pasture (high nutrients).

I do not really understand the results I am telling you about. Just what I have observed over the years.

The owner of this pond will not spend a lot of money on it. I will help them stock it with fish from my pond and otherwise it will be a typical farm pond - not much management. They do like to fish (mostly in the creek that transverses their place) so I think they will be able and interested enough to manage the fish population through harvest management. They eat fish out of the creek so I'm sure they will enjoy the pond fish.

Maybe I will get lucky and the fourth of the muck left behind will be the perfect offset to the barren bottom in the rest of the pond and will find a perfect balance. I can dream can't I? LOL

Thanks for the recommendations.

snrub


John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
snrub #356071 11/02/13 10:17 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Lacked one day of getting all the rest of the muck out of the bottom. Has rained twice since and quite a bit of water in the bottom so looks like the remaining muck will remain. Got most of it out at least and even after the rains was still able to work on some of the upper part and got a lot more dirt moved and more deep water area.

Left one willow tree in a shallow area at request of daughter-in-law (removed a couple others). After digging around it to make the surrounding area deeper, decided to make an island out of it. Then after completing the island thought about "island" discussions here on PBF and decided it would be very small it would just grow up to weeds. So pushed a dirt bridge across to it so now the island is no longer an island but a key hole shaped peninsula. I think it will get much more use in that format.

Turning out very nice. Too wet to work on any loose dirt now but still able to do some stuff in new undisturbed ground. Another day and I will have everything done that I want up to full pool level. Then it will just be a matter of waiting till it is dry enough to finish the upper part of the dam and move piles of dirt around and do the finish work.

Still a lot to do, but getting there. Pictures listed below.

snrub

Attached Images
Jpond4 010.JPG Jpond4 020.JPG Jpond4 027.JPG

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
snrub #356074 11/02/13 11:45 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,415
Likes: 793
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,415
Likes: 793
Get a 3" or 4" semi-trash pump and pump the water out! Float the suction hose on an inner tube so the end isn't sucking up junk from the pond bottom. You'd be amazed at how much water those things will move if run for a long time. I changed the gas tank on mine so I can use an external 6 gallon tank. Oh high it'll run for 12 hr, on low, 18 or so.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
esshup #356082 11/03/13 12:38 AM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
If it was spring or summer I might consider it. This time of year for us it can turn wet and stay wet the whole winter. That and the fact that ground does not dry much in cold weather makes it a low probability of success that once it was pumped out the ground would dry enough to work before the next rain came along.

We had to pump our new pond once but we had warm temps heading into a more dry period and still could not get to work the very bottom (before the next rain) but was able to work all the areas we needed to.

If it was important enough or if time and money were no object it could be done. Just do not figure it worth the effort. The days I could not work on the muck I was able to work on the other end of the pond, so all in all, will have just as much deep water area (probably more actually) as if I had spent the time cleaning the remaining muck. The deep area will just be in a different part of the pond than originally intended. The surface area is only slightly bigger than the original, but the original had a lot of shallow water near the inlet ravine. I have deepened all of that area.

The only issue is not being able to get the nutrient load out. Might actually end up being a benefit as about maybe only 10-15% of the total bottom will be exposed to it where the rest is bare clay. Will not need to fertilize the new pond.

I still should be able to use the backhoe and deepen the area directly adjacent to the dam, unless the rains predicted Tuesday completely fill the pond, which would probably take a 12" rain event which is unlikely (but not unheard of for us, but usually associated with a Gulf hurricane).

I think it will be fine. If not, at least it has to be better than what was there before.

Thanks for the suggestion. I think we had to run a 3" pump about 10 or 12 hours when we built our new pond to get a few feet out of the bottom.

snrub

Last edited by snrub; 11/03/13 12:40 AM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
snrub #356094 11/03/13 09:02 AM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,415
Likes: 793
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,415
Likes: 793
I just finished re-contouring a couple of ponds, using the sand for pole barn and house pads. We had 2.5" rain in 24 hr that made a sloppy mess; I had hoped it would hold off for another day or two but it didn't. Prepping the ground for grass seed is the job Monday/Tuesday, as it wanted to ball up when back drug Friday morning. Hopefully it will dry out enough today that I can use a harly rake to finish it tomorrow. We were able to get a tri-axle dump truck at each pond and installed a truckload of limestone rip-rap in each for papershell habitat. Roughly 2 rocks thick, from waterline to about 5' depth.

The ponds are groundwater ponds, so I had to run a 3" pump pretty much 24/7 to keep the water levels down so we could see what we were doing.

They're predicting another 2"+ rain on Wed/Thurs so we have to have the erosion matting installed before then.

Shorter days, cooler weather and low sun angle aren't helping!


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
esshup #356114 11/03/13 11:25 AM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Wow, sounds like your pond conditions are about opposite of ours. We have no groundwater at that depth and the most common is red or gray solid clay. Occasionally we might run into an old creek bed, some shale, or a sandstone outcrop that can cause leakage problems in certain areas, but mostly clay, clay, clay. So we rarely have problems with the bottom of the pond sealing and in fact our NRCS guy told me that most of our topsoil actually had enough clay content to seal water up but to always put our best material (clay) in the middle of a dam for structural strength and extra sealing.

A lot of the old quarter or half acre cow ponds around here are nothing more than the topsoil scuffed off to the clay (about 6" to 24" down usually unless in a silted in area) and the dam pushed up to dam up an old wash. They held, although it was not uncommon to have an occasional slight dam seep. Quite a different deal than building a bigger pond with higher dam heights and length. We had to go down to six feet in our core to get to clay in our new pond because the dam backside is up against a small seasonal creek and the area undoubtedly had silted in for eons.

We are all surface water.

Interesting the different problems and positives different areas of the country run into building ponds.

snrub

Last edited by snrub; 11/03/13 11:27 AM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
snrub #357211 11/15/13 10:33 AM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
A while has past since last post so will update. After a couple of rains, working as ground conditions and time permitted, quite a bit was accomplished.

Ended up doing quite a lot more than I originally intended but that is ok. I think my son and his family will enjoy it for a long time, so what is a little extra of my labor and Diesel fuel for something so worth while? As I progress on one part of the pond I think "well this would be nice" so several changes and additions have been added while some things like the last portion of the bottom muck removal had to be abandoned for several reasons.

Spending more time than I originally anticipated but isn't that the way most "projects" go?

Here are some pics of the progress with explanations with the them.

Edit: I see some of my explanations were too long for the pictures. The look from east to west was from the small grove of oak trees. The area was rough and overgrown and a portion of the area would have had about 6" of water in it. Deciding it would be a wonderful little spot for a picnic table I took some fill dirt and filled in where needed, trimed the trees up high enough so I could work in close with the dozer (Ryobi 14v pole saw worked nice on the high limbs)and cleared out the underbrush.

On the "muck" portion that will be shallow a weedy area was not at all a problem with the son. They are the outdoorsy type and this pond will never become the "manicured within an inch of its life" type pond one might see and desired in a semi-urban area. The daughter-in-law even likes cattails and lilly pads so the more "ala natural look" would be fine with them. I have a TLBackhoe so I think we can keep them in check should the need arise.

Attached Images
003.JPG 024.JPG 010.JPG
Last edited by snrub; 11/15/13 10:44 AM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
snrub #357214 11/15/13 11:19 AM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Some more pics with details of the pond.

One picture will show what was the island turned keyhole shaped peninsula. The water area around it will be about 5' deep which eventually will become a problem with weeds at some point in the future. Hopefully I can reach enough of it with a backhoe should it need cleaned out. In the mean time I think the small kids they have will enjoy it and it should stay clear at least until they are in teenage years. I hope the tree will survive having that much water around it but it is a Willow so think there is a good chance. This area would have been about 18" deep had it been left "as is". When I got rained out of cleaning all the muck out of the bottom the water had not came up enough to prevent working here so I made more deep area directly in front of this area. Should be a pleasant site to fish out in the deep water area of the pond.

The small nook of water picture was an afterthought. There was quite a bit of area that would have been 6" to a foot deep water around the small oak grove. I needed fill dirt. Originally my idea was to just haul some in from the stock pile of dirt on the other side with our 12 yd scraper. Problem was scraper tractor was tied up on grain buggy for bean harvest and I had a dozer in hand. Solution was to make part of the shallow area deeper and use the dirt right there to make the rest into land. Worked out well but it does leave a very narrow BOW which will eventually likely have weed problems. At least I know in this area I can reach the whole thing with the backhoe from both sides if it ever needs "cleaned out". Owning equipment gives a pond owner options that others might not consider. The nice thing about this small neck of water is it puts the small oak grove with water surrounding 2/3 of it and makes a nice peninsula jutting out towards the island. I think it will be a very sweep spot, at least until the weeds become a problem which should at least be five or ten years (I hope).

The big dead tree area was left on purpose for a fish nursery and to add some "redneck" flavor. The family is very outdoors in nature and camps out on the nearby creek quite a bit as well as hunts deer and turkey as well as fishing. This is definitely not a citified pond. Also the tree was probably a century plus in age Burr Oak when it went down after my wife and I originally purchased the place (son owns it now) and it just seemed fitting that something with that magnificence be allowed to spend its afterlife where it laid down to die. Just seemed sacrilegious to move it. The baby fish will love the 18"-24" water it sits in and cattails around it along with the willows that have sprouted up. (about a third the way up the big portion of the trunk if my laser level is not lying). Leaving it there was just the redneck right thing to do.

I am still in the building process so blast away with what I am doing wrong or should consider doing different. I know there will likely be nutrient problems because of the left behind muck. I know there will be some weedy areas because of shallow water or narrow inlets. Criticisms are fine (I can take it), suggestions of alternatives would be welcome, ways to manage around the problems that will arise because of my shortcomings in pond design would be priceless. Thanks in advance.

Attached Images
008.JPG 011.JPG 014.JPG
Last edited by snrub; 11/15/13 11:26 AM. Reason: spelling

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,315
F
Offline
F
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,315
They should be happy with all that you are doing for them. Looking good.

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Here is a link to Shutterfly with all the pictures I have taken to date. There are a bunch of them but it shows the progress as they are in the order they were taken.

Shutterfly link with all photos


John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 39
W
Offline
W
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 39
Snrub, when you're through ... I'm available for adoption. Thanks for sharing the photos! Amazing what you've done in a couple of months.

Any photos of your own 3.5 acre pond? Have you stocked it, yet?


If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles.
- Doug Larson

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Thanks. Being semi retired with a younger generation to take care of the day to day farming activities gives me time to do those things I would have never had time while trying to make a living.

Photos of my pond in my new forum members post.

My new forum member post

Will add the stocking information in a follow up post to that post so it will be a permanent part of my introduction.

Have enough kids already but thanks for the offer.........unless maybe you are female, about 25-30ish and good looking........ never mind, wife says no.

Started on daughters pond a few days ago to refurb and expand it. Still have to work down and seed sons pond. Will sow wheat seed along with fescue grass. Hopefully tomorrow.


John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
snrub #358259 11/26/13 12:50 AM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
All done with the bulldozer.

Next step on to the box blade and pasture harrow for final smoothing then seed some wheat for winter cover along with fescue.

Attached Images
029.JPG 026.JPG 021.JPG 012.JPG

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
snrub #358349 11/26/13 11:44 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
I am amazed at the water. Clearing up nicely and even with a little ice cover in shallow areas the water is getting a nice green tint indicating a recent algae bloom. My refurb old pond at home is staying muddy color much worse than this pond so far. Maybe a difference in the clay.

Rocked the spillway today and did some harrowing to smooth things out. Some worked great, some still a little wet and leaving tractor tracks. Will let it dry a few days and try again before seeding to try and get it more level with no tracks.

Think I am going to skip planting grass this late and just broadcast some wheat to give cover till next year. Then it will have had time for multiple rains to help everything settle, I can work it again and get it smooth as a baby's butt. Nicer for mowing.

Using a pasture harrow to smooth things out. It was a drag type but needed to move it from my place to sons place. Decided rather than loading on a trailer to make it portable with the tractor. Also on sons pond needed to back into tight places and can't do that with a drag harrow. Thought about making it a 3pt hitch but it worked so good pulling it behind the box blade as I could easily knock off high spots with the box blade so I decided to incorporate the box blade as part of the 3pt attachment mechanism. Three bolts and the harrow comes off the box blade. Oldest grandson helped me weld it up and he painted it.

Attached Images
010.JPG 002.JPG 003.JPG
Last edited by snrub; 11/27/13 12:03 AM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
snrub #358358 11/27/13 09:00 AM
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 99
F
Offline
F
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 99
Looks like great progress! It is going to be FINE in the spring!

Rob C

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
snrub Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Will add the "after" later when available.

The only standing water is the small hole about 25 feet indiameter shown in the lower right portion of the picture. The rest of the area was damp to mucky but no standing water. Only pond weeds growing.

Attached Images
Jpond google before cropped.jpg
Last edited by snrub; 01/18/14 01:06 PM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 207
M
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
M
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 207
snrub, that will be awesome when it's filled. Pretty awesome now compared to my bare Texas pond! Speaking of rain, are you getting any?

I really like the chain harrow setup. I might just steal that idea!

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by jpsdad - 03/28/24 04:51 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 04:48 PM
Fungus infection on fish
by BillyE - 03/28/24 04:35 PM
Yellow Perch Spawn 2024
by H20fwler - 03/28/24 04:29 PM
Alum vs Bentonite/Lathanum for Phosphorus Removal?
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 04:23 PM
Working on a .5acre disaster, I mean pond.
by PRCS - 03/28/24 04:13 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by LANGSTER - 03/28/24 03:49 PM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by ewest - 03/28/24 03:37 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by Freg - 03/28/24 09:42 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by Justin W - 03/28/24 08:19 AM
Reducing fish biomass
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 08:18 AM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5