Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Looking to re-rock my pond. Need advise

Quick back story. I bought my house 2 years ago, this is my first house, first pond so this is all new to me. From what my neighbors tell me the pond was put in roughly 10-12 years ago. The man who own my house prior was in his late 70s when he put it in and was unable to keep on it and had everything done the extreme cheap when the pond was built.

My grass line buts right up to the water line and there is little to no rock visible above the water line. There is plenty below but none above, this makes it hard for me to mow long the pond and makes trimming a nightmare as well. This summer I would like to re-rock the shore line of the pond but I dont know where to start or the proper way to go about it. The banks are pretty steep.

Any tips or advice

Thanks
-Mike

I am not clear what you are after. Do you mean gravel or rip rap?

There are trucks that "shoot" rocks out, and they can direct the chute. That would be a lot easier than using a wheelbarrow or bobcat to move and place the rocks along the shoreline.

If you can, putting down some geotextile fabric will help keep the rocks from sinking into the ground, and the grass/weeds from growing up between the rocks, at least for the first couple of years.

Might also need to cut a lip into the dirt so you have a starting place in keeping the rocks from rolling down your steep bank into the water.

maybe a little mulch would help here.

Im just looking to add more rock all the way around the edge of the pond.

Here is a picture of my pond




Here is what im wanting to go for. This is at my parents house


There bank come out of the pond at a nice angle mine drop off pretty heavy

Hi Mike,
My pond shore looks just like yours. I can't tell why you think your edges slope in very steep, Unless you mean the part starting about 4 or 5' back from the edge, and then progressing to the water line? Once you are at the water line, judging by the leaves on the bottom and guessing how tall your dog is it appears the slope of the bottom UNDER the water is fairly gradual, maybe 6 to 1?

I can see getting a mower on the edge up to the water may be a bit of a challenge.

Does your pond fluctuate water level in summer like a typical ground water pond? If so, you may tolerate what you have till mid summer and then when water is down you could regrade the banks (maybe a box blade or back blade and a small utility tractor?) and reseed?

I have a clay bottom so any stone I put in the water will disappear.

I like my banks to be grass right down to the water and when the water is low, I like to try to plant grass on the exposed 'bottom' as well. To me this helps with erosion, and I love it when my kids can walk to the edge on a good rooted bank to keep the feet from getting muddy and to yet help them get right to the waters edge to see what is there (and use their dip nets!) without barrier. Probably small gravel would work just as well for allowing good access and keeping the mud to a minimum. My fear with putting stone all around is how to keep the weeds controlled without chemicals or hand picking them all.

I live to just buzz around the bank with my rider and be done. I admit on one side of my pond the bank is a bit steep and I feel like the rider is tipped a bit but it isn't near at the tipping point compared to those on the forum who mow the sides of their dams!

I did have some erosion and lost part of my steep bank, so the roots and grass are appreciated. (I think a long gone muskrat also started the hole under the bank that started the collapse!)

If mowing the edge is the concern then I agree with others above that a foot of mulch around the outside might be the ticket.

Probably one other thought to avoid weeks would be to consider crushed concrete, but whether you do fine limestone, crushed concrete, pea gravel, rip rap etc it all sounds like work to get it all installed!

We'd love to see your 'after it is done' pictures.