We're getting pretty close to the finish line with our dirt work. This weekend we installed 10 Ray Scott-style cedar & oak habitats at 5' - 6' depths fairly near the shoreline. We have 2 dry peninsulas and 2 submerged peninsulas where the top is 2' below water and there's 6' of depth on either side. Along the southern edges of the lake the track hoe scooped out 5 1/2' of depth up to 20' out from the shoreline and then there is a sharp drop off to anywhere from 2' to 4'. Also, the equipment operators made quick work of driving pilings for my dock. They lined up my 6x6 x 16' treated timbers and the track hoe pushed them 4' into the clay lickety split. And that is some hard, dense clay!
Submerged peninsula & habitats
Dry peninsula & habitats
View toward south end
Still have some work to do. Need to put up about 10 more habitats and probably 4 pallet pyramids. 400 tons of rip rap will be put on the levee in the next week or so. It will extend 1.5' vertical into the water on a 2:1 slope. That should give the crayfish & minnows some places to hide.
