I've went around my old pond with a backhoe and expanded it (after previously expanding and cleaning out the old part with a dozer). Worked in the water around all the shore line except where the dam was. Far as I could tell did not see any fish kill but like others said the water turned brown each time I worked on the project. I actually did it in three or four hitches, so the fish had an area to move to that was not so bad as the area being worked, although the turbidity did eventually each time expand to take over the whole pond, just not as bad as the area being worked.
I can tell you it is much easier and much more efficient to be working in dirt than working through water to get to the dirt. The mud created can be a challenge to get out of the bucket so is harder on the machine by having to shake it all the time. It is harder on the machine because the greased pivot points are working in water/dirt which is not the best lubricant. Also it is impossible to see what you are doing working in the water. After the first dip, everything is muddy and the operator has to work by "feel". I'm not a great operator but after the water cleared I could see many places I missed dirt that I was pretty sure I had got it all. But it can be done if needed. My preference, where possible, is to work in dry dirt then breaking a barrier to let the water into the new area. Did this on my daughters pond when I expanded it. One problem with this way is it may make it impossible to remove all the dirt you want from the area temporarily dividing the new excavation and the old portion of the pond. One of the posters above solution was leave an island by cutting out the remaining area on both sides.
One final word of caution. Otto above did not go into detail, but what he was trying to warn of is the fact that likely you will not be able to properly compact all or part of the new excavation. Otto quote: "now there have been some that needed to be drained completely and of course that is a different story". If the soil type you have is prone to leaking (or if it is a groundwater pond it may be a moot point) the new area you excavate may leak badly and ruin your whole pond. Thus his warning about some ponds having to be completely drained and redone after the expansion project. In my area our water source is watershed and we had three different clay manufacturing plants (pottery, clay tile and brick) within a few miles all around us, so we have clay that anywhere we scrape the topsoil off and the water cant run out or evaporate quick enough, we have a pond. Cursed for farming, but blessed for making ponds. Depending on your soil type and the clay content, the new area you dig might leak if not treated properly.
Edit: P.S. I really like your tag line. So true.
Last edited by snrub; 11/22/14 11:07 AM.
