Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam Dry soils

I am still building a pond. It will have an "L" shaped dam and I have completed most of the side. I built part of it (we are using a layer of clay/gravel as caliche so I'm doing parts at a time). The part that I built had good clay and was moist enough to pack good.
I started the bottom of the "L" before Thanksgiving and it was clay marbled with a white sand. It was a little dry and packed but didn't pack as good as the first.
I decided to wait for a rain to finish but am tired of waiting. (If we get a big rain I will have 5 or 6 feet of water in my way)
What happens if you use dry soils for the dam? I am guessing that it will take longer to set and sag more and I'm okay with that. I can fix it later. Will the dam eventually set and seal like a good boy or will it always leak more?

I think I should win an award for most unanswered posts. Nobody loves me.

I wish I was waiting for rain. I can't start my dam construction until it dries out a little bit around here. I ususally get flowing water down my spillway for three to four days after a rain.

Question on your construction; how large are your pieces of gravel and how thick is the layer? Are you going to use more than one layer of gravel? Do you want some of my rain?

BrianH,

I can't speak much for dam construction but I do some dirtwork in the DFW area and a lot of times we will rent water trucks or water tanks to manually wet our soils down before placing it and compacting it. This may be an option. You can probably rent these items in your area. I don't know all of the rental places around Hico, TX but you may start by talking to the guys at Brett Construction in Hico or RECS Rentals in Glen Rose. Or you may have other water sources that may be cheaper to use.

Thanks for replies. Robinson, I have a huge hill of topsoil (which has a lot of clay in it) behind the dam so I don't think it will wash away. I guess I still need to wait.
Dribble creek, the layer is fossilized shells about dime sized with small gravel and clay mixed with it. I don't understand the second question.
Mercury, there is a small pond above it that I could pump from but is so low that I dug a hole to pump the precious liquid into so the heifers can drink without getting stuck. I guess $75,000 worth of heifers are more important than my pond. Another week or so the pond will be dry.

Brian, I guess the second question doesn't make any sense because I may not completely understand the application. I was thinking that you are using an intermediate layer of shells or gravel to build up the dam more. However, I guess you must be using the shell layer to create a "crust" near the surface that hardens the dam somewhat.

(for what it's worth...)
the contractor that is excavating my project uses the following "field test" as a quick indicator of suitable clay. Take a hunk big enough to fit inside the palm of your hand, close your fingers around it and use your thumb and forefinger to work and squeeze out a flat ribbon about the width of your thumb. Continue to work the ribbon straight away from you until it breaks off. If you can get a strip about 3" long before it breaks, the initial indication is good clay soil.

Dribble Creek, I'm not using the shell/gravel for the dam at all. I am taking it out for roads and cow lot.
Brettski, I haven't tried that test but I have tried other tests like Mike Otto's test to put balls in water and the black topsoil (called Houston clay by the way) passes the test but I don't think it would hold water very good. The soil right above the yellow clay is a yellowish brown color that has little gravel or sand or anything else and is hell to dig. It stopps the dozer because it doesn't break and the dozer blade creates a smooth cut that shines in the sun. It might work for a dam, might be too much clay and crack or whatever. There are a lot of different soils in the same area that confuse me but I am keeping to what I know worked with the existing pond to be safe.

BrianH,
I would call and talk with Otto on his cell phone. 940.736.5333. I think he will tell you to water the dry soils. Dry clay is powdery, and won't compact well without moisture. He says it's like trying to pack baby powder. The hard, shiny clay you are finding sounds like it has moisture in it. Mixed with other soils, I bet that's good stuff. Otto can help a lot.