Help, I have a 1 acre lake that has some shore erosion, 'rats, and muddy water. I was hoping to clear up all three problems with one solution. I was thinking of putting gravel along the shore. I've been trapping the 'rats for the last year and a half but they keep coming back. Any suggestions on whether gravel is a good idea, what size of gravel, how thick, and how far down into the pond should it go?

Haz,

The bigger the size of the stone the better both for wave erosion and the rats. Also the thicker the layer the better. If the stone is large enough 6 inches to a foot would be thick enough.

As far as thickness about three feet below the water line up to the lip should do it. Of course you will have to allow for water level drops.

I don't believe pea gravel is large enough.

Haz, I agree with Cecil on the rock size. Gravel won't do anything for eroded gullies. I'd put rocks, stumps, brush, busted bricks, etc. to slow down the water. I don't see how anything you put in will do much for controlling muskrats. It might help the muddy water if you are carrying a lot of dirt and sand in as the banks erode.

Dave,

I've read and experienced that rats do not like to dig through stone. One of my ponds is stone lined and I have not problems with them.

Cecil, Thanks for the correction. West Texas has no muskrats; just beaver. Do you have to rip-rap everything on the bank that is sloped? That must take a lot of rock.

I'm not sure if you have to rip rap everthing
Dave. I you want to be conservative you could only rip rap the sides of the pond that get the most wind, and the levee side that is at most risk by rodent damage.

It can definitely get expensive. In my area limestone is fairly cheap, but I don't care for the way it looks. I prefer landscaping stone but it is salty in price to buy and haul.

I recently found a massive pile of field stone just down the road from a waterline project, but unfortunately totalled my van pulling a load of it. Apparently I overloaded the trailer and it started fish tailing on me and fliped my van on its side. The dog and I had to climb out of the windshield to get out. So respect those trailers and don't overload them!

That sounds like somethimg that might not be to much fun.Cecil.Their is some ways to avoid having rats get in your pond.Keep the growth down.rip rap is good on the banks and levy but hard to walk on I have installed walkways around ponds with #12 stone that work well in areas that have little water runoff.It looks nice and makes it easy to fish it also keeps down the growth.Proper slope of the banks during the construction will keep the erosion down to a min.Cecil got your email and if you use a blunt 22 shell they don't die but they don't come back.

Hey all - thanks for the info. I've posted on a couple of other site but got no response. Sounds like all I need is a few trucks of stone and a strong back (thanks God I've got teenage sons).

Haz, I think you would only have to use rock on the areas that have turned into gulleys. The objective is only to slow down the water. If you totally stop everything up, the water goes around your rocks creating a new gully. The water is following its natural course and has to go somewhere.

I envy you on having teenage sons. Daughters and son-in-laws leave something to be desired when the manual labor starts.

Haz, don't forget to add landscape fabric under your rip rap to discourage erosion underneath it all. It has worked great along by eastern shoreline of my lake for some 200'.

Rowly

Thanks Rowly, I was wondering about that.