Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat What Size RipRap?

I am going to enlarge my pond and build another one. When I finished the first pond, and again after my dad built his upstream of me, lot of silt washed into my pond and provided prime cattail environment. I plan to line the new shoreline with riprap down to maybe 4 ft, and put gravel strip below that.

So I made my decision, walked into a store that seems to have everything dirt and stone related except riprap and I asked for the price. "Sure we can get it - what size?" Duh. I didn't realize riprap came in different sizes.

What size riprap is typically used to line pond shores?

I just installed rip rap in my larger pond to stop wind/wave action damage. Don't know what's available in your area but limestone is the most available and cheapest here. I got limestone that is the size of small to medium size boulders. I would say the bigger the better. I paid about $279.00 for 21 tons that filled a triaxle dump truck. It's actually the hauling that is most of your cost from what I hear.

Bill Cody tells me sometimes if a town or city is tearing out old sidewalks you can sometimes get them to haul it out to your place for free since they have to pay to get rid of it. Something to consider.

Ed, at a quarry near my pond in PA, they classify the rocks with designates of "B" and "R"

So you have sizes like "2B" and "2R"

I recently had a load of rock dumped which was the perfect size for riprap. I'll check my receipt and see what classification it was.

The rock I got was sandstone. However, I believe limestone (as Cecil said) is better. I think it can help w/ the Ph.

I'll post some details hopefully later today.

We use limestone down here too. On the sidewalk idea - it is a good source of heavy objects. A couple of things to watch out for though: 1. plenty of rebar and wire poking out (I cut a bunch off concrete chunks from a slab before reenforcing our low water crossing and it is a real pain - and that was in the winter). 2. Do you want what was on the sidewalks in your water? I guess you could pressure wash it first, but there was a bunch of junk on the stuff we were offered and we refused it, politely of course. Since you still have to haul it out and that is the most expensive part, may as well get the good stuff. Texas Crushed Stone is pretty cheap. The two axel dump trucks were about 250 a load for truck and rock to Lee Co. Not sure if the truck was TCS or load hire.

Ed , i used softball and hardball size sandstone rocks , i'm on 150 year old farm land , no shortage of rocks. i think they breed lol. i put them down about 2 ft. , mixed in some bigger ones and large ones. i like it because when pond goes down some , you don't notice it. looks nice and fish likem too. lot work though , still have more bank to do.

Thanks for your replies. What I saw on the dam of Lake Somerville were boulders about the size of voleyball or bigger. I kind of like that look better than anything smaller. I think that would provide bigger gaps for little fish to hide.
I will check with the supplier what they have.

It's hard to find someone around here to hall the big rocks. They say it tears up their truck beds.

So far I have used 300-400 tons of rip rap rock with the same remaining to do approx 800' of east shoreline and one of the 2 islands perimeters in view from the house. I am using both limestone and river rock of various sizes. The limestone is more flat and therefore is better in my project to remain on the steep sides of my gravel pit. The river rock tends to continue down into the water beyond the point I want it to go. Food for thought....if you are using riprap rock to help beautify your project you may want to create some curving dry river beds leading down into the water from the uplands. This is a great focal point and a nice place to plant a few shrubs and periennials. However, this is a great deal of work and not intended for all. I have been at this for over a year and hopefully will be done by the fall?

Rowly

Does any one know where we can get limestone rock here in the North East (Catskill area). Our pH is really low this year and adding limestone RipRap would be great. The shipping charges are a killer unless we can find a local source.

Is there any where in east texas that you can buy big limeston boulders to make a riprap? I heard that catfish will spawn in the wholes between the rocks is this true?

Catfish completely hide when they spawn. Then, they sit on their "nest" over the egg mass until hatch. If they can fit between rocks and be totally surrounded, rip-rap is good. So, placement is crucial. Be sure catfish spawning areas are in water less than five feet deep, and it would be best if the opening of each hiding spot opens to the south. I would be tempted to put some type of containers along the area you intend to rip-rap, then surround the container with rocks. Stainless steel beer kegs are good, with the tops cut out.
You are not far from several rock quarries. I would contact local rock and gravel companies and make an inquiry to see what's available at what cost.

MacDonald:

What you have heard about catfish is true. They love to spawn in the nooks and crannies found along rip-rap lines. The bigger the rip-rap stone size the better.

Here on the Mississippi River (Eastern IA) it is prime fishing territory for Channel cats in the 2-4 lb range in middle to late June.

We just float a slipbobber along the rip-rap letting the current take it downstream along the structure. The perfect bait is a big leeches...The bigger, the better!

For a pond environment, I've heard that old tires laying flat on their side will provide prime catfish spawning areas as well.

Tim where are you from? Im from Camanche Iowa my pond is going to be fish ready this sping.

In my experience, concrete (cinder) blocks make the best habitat. You can use nice pretty stone for the part of the shore line that people use. Then you can use concrete blocks below the water. Like anything else, these blocks might be available to you cheap or free depending on your situation. We get defective blocks for free. We throw the blocks into the lake in piles of 100-200. Small fish can swim in and around these blocks easily making them great fish attractors.

About the cheapest way to go w/ riprap is shot rock. It is just rock the quarries can't run through their crushers.Depending on how much shot rock they have determines the price.If they have alot piled around, alot of times you can have it for free.Just have to pay to haul it.It is odd sizes of rock, from several feet across to just the size of your fist. One more idea,if you live near a concrete plant you might be able let them clean their trucks around your pond. A buddy of mine has two lakes...2acre 3acre...both are concreted completly around now and it didn't cost him a thing, just a little time smoothing out the left over concrete