As far as going and renting a trackhoe, are you thinking to just remove the muck layer or digging deeper. This is a quote from DD1 he just had in another thread, and it is good standard advice to all pond owners.
"There are a lot of dozer drivers who can push dirt and clear land. Not a lot know how to build ponds. For that, it takes a guy who knows about keyways(coring), packing with a sheepsfoot roller, local soils, your soil, and runoff areas.
The biggest recommendation is to hang around here and learn about pond building. You will learn a lot. And, it is your pond. Don't get in a hurry."
