Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site starting the dream

Anything and everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. The third day of work, one of the worker tipped the skid loader and being a Sunday and the next day the 4th of July, the machine sat idle for over 2 days. 2 days later, another worker tipped it. That has been the highlight.

What a mess. 3 flat tires, a stuck roller that had to be yanked out, and last weekend 4 inches of rain.

I should not sound so negative but it is very frustrating. The days that I work, I sit in the machine 10-11 hours running but we just do not seem to be getting much done.

On the good note and yes there has been a couple of good points. The forage pond has a lot of clay which I suspected it did as reflected in the soil surveys. This is where the the original excavator was to pull out clay creating a barrow pit which would then become the forage ponds. The middle bank of the forage pond is 30 feet wide, 100 feet long and 9 feet high of excellent clay. It it taking alot of time to pull out and transfer to the catfish pond. Most of you weirdo pond people can relate to this, the forage pond has grown from 30 by 100 to 100 by 100 with a 50 by 100 marsh area/sediment basin. Using the existing upper bank, we created a 15 by 100 small minnow pond for fatheads, not me, but the minnows. Bigger is better. Because the forage pond has grown, it is now the swimming hole or will be. We are still pulling out clay down 8 feet so the depth is great. I just need to finish and clean it up and then cut the beach area.

Last's week rains have flooded the ponds. We did not receive what some places did but at least 4 inches running into the pond. We were in the process of laying the first layer of new clay on the banks when the rains hit. The levee area of the catfish pond is sitting with about 4 feet of water. Yes, that is good since it never hs filled that high but now I need to pump it out, let everything dry before returning to work.

1 month of work and there is still so much to do. the main pond is way beyond fixing at this point.

I have a friend who can secure the rollers I need. The 2 ton roller did not work. He has a 16,000 Sheepsfoot and a 28,000 flat shell. they are available for a the right price whenever I need them.

Water is high, money is low and the emotions ebb and flow. Some days this is the worst decision I have ever made and wish I could turn back the clock. On other days, when I see the forage pond take shape with the swimming area, marsh and fathead pond, I am pretty elated. I hold on to that idea and the pictures I see here and in Pond Boss of my kids jumping in the water, or yelling "fish on". I have dreamt of this pond for so many years and it is still just beyond my grasp. I see it, I hope it, I dream it, but that is all it is. I have enough money for 1 more month of work. After that, I am tapped.

The "dream" flickers.

I will post some pictures tomorrow