New pond owner, new forum member - Questions...... - 08/25/10 01:47 PM
Hi, there -
I've been reading a lot on all of the forums here the past several weeks in anticipation of becoming a pond owner. We closed last night, and now own a property with a 50 year old, 4 1/2 acre pond. (Forums, and all of you, have been a big help - thanks alot!........)
Guess I'll start with a few question here:
1) The pond has a vertical drain (I'll guess 16-20") in one corner, and the previous owner told me that several years ago it had developed a leak (a hole around the pipe) that went 6-8' into the ground. He said they filled it in with gravel and sand, and that the repair worked.
2) One area of the approx. 200' dam has what appears to be burrows, with a couple of vent holes, that I'm guessing are from muskrats. It's not a huge area - I'd guess the digging appears to be confined to a 3' x 3' area.
I am picking up 6 - 50# bags of sodium bentonite from a well driller today.
The pond has evaporated so that the drain is now exposed and I can get to it.
I'm going to try and trap, or shoot, the rats. I'd like to dig down into the burrows, and seal that area from any possibility of more burrows being dug there in the future.
Questions:
- I don't know if the drain has developed any further problems (I'll see it again this weekend...), but, if it has any problems, is there use for the sodium bentonite in repairing it?
- I'd like to dig a hole into the burrows in the dam and seal it. Is there use for the sodium bentonite here? Also, should I be thinking hydraulic cement?
Like I said, I'm picking up 6 50# bags of the sodium bentonite, and it's free. Since the pond has a a foot, or so, under the dam, would the bentonite be of use in the exposed bottom at this point?
Sorry for the long-winded post, and thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Buck Lee
I've been reading a lot on all of the forums here the past several weeks in anticipation of becoming a pond owner. We closed last night, and now own a property with a 50 year old, 4 1/2 acre pond. (Forums, and all of you, have been a big help - thanks alot!........)
Guess I'll start with a few question here:
1) The pond has a vertical drain (I'll guess 16-20") in one corner, and the previous owner told me that several years ago it had developed a leak (a hole around the pipe) that went 6-8' into the ground. He said they filled it in with gravel and sand, and that the repair worked.
2) One area of the approx. 200' dam has what appears to be burrows, with a couple of vent holes, that I'm guessing are from muskrats. It's not a huge area - I'd guess the digging appears to be confined to a 3' x 3' area.
I am picking up 6 - 50# bags of sodium bentonite from a well driller today.
The pond has evaporated so that the drain is now exposed and I can get to it.
I'm going to try and trap, or shoot, the rats. I'd like to dig down into the burrows, and seal that area from any possibility of more burrows being dug there in the future.
Questions:
- I don't know if the drain has developed any further problems (I'll see it again this weekend...), but, if it has any problems, is there use for the sodium bentonite in repairing it?
- I'd like to dig a hole into the burrows in the dam and seal it. Is there use for the sodium bentonite here? Also, should I be thinking hydraulic cement?
Like I said, I'm picking up 6 50# bags of the sodium bentonite, and it's free. Since the pond has a a foot, or so, under the dam, would the bentonite be of use in the exposed bottom at this point?
Sorry for the long-winded post, and thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Buck Lee