Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam Building a 10 - 12 acre lake

Man it's starting to come along very nicely!
Is all your structure below the water though?
Have any new pics to show?

BD: Actually, most of my structure is still a ways from the pond. I have lots of large and small concrete chunks (much from ripped up modular home foundation), lots of concrete blocks, some hollow logs, etc. stacked about 1/8 mile away. I planted wheat around the pond (being combined today) and found bullheads. Wanting to drain it down quite a ways to do some work to it (build more sediment dams, dig holes, create trenches down contours, create ledges on side contours, maybe a couple underwater humps, etc.). I have had 14" diameter PVC pipe on order for some time now. Will hopefully get it drained down to maybe 5 acres and 10 feet deep for the summer / fall so I can get the desired work done on the remaining acreage. Not sure I want to put the structure in there for bullheads to spawn in, but will count on bass / etc. wiping them out I guess. Jeff

Jeff,

In looking at this post, its been a little over two years since you started this project, Happy Anniversary! Thanks for taking the time to keep us updated.

Russ

I now have a bunch of pipe and such to drain down the lake so can make some changes next summer. One of the changes I'm considering is putting rip rap on my dam as I'm getting some wave action on my dam and a few other areas.

Any suggestions if I should put some type of matting underneath it or of best way to prevent rip rap from going too far down the dam (dam is at a 4:1 slope)?

Thanks!

Jeff, you got any recent pics you can post?

Rangersedge :

If you are having erosion as a result of wave action then I think you should think about taking steps to stop it. Rip-rap or clay and gravel or fabric liner with rock. We have the same problem on a pond where the erosion line is right where a seam exists from when we raised the dam and it is a problem. Will probably add a bentonite and clay strip over the seam then a fabric liner then more clay and then rock and rip-rap. I ran that by Mike Otto at the DFW meeting and he said it was a real good idea because if not fixed and the seam became wet through the dam the entire added part could slough off and the dam fail. ewest

Sunil: No new pics. I tried to hire someone to fly some of us over with camera / video camera this spring, but didn't work out. I may try again next year after getting work done.

Ewest: I'm thinking I will do that next summer while it is down. I've got to get prices for the matting and rock. Considering raising the spillway by 2-3 feet eventually (would just be a matter of filling in half of spillway dug out 5 feet below top of dam). One side of me says should go ahead, raise the spillway, and place the matting / rock based upon that thus saving cost of doing twice. Other side says I should wait several years to do that and the rock would provide good habitat anyway. I can't decide which course to take, but will pursue one or another next summer. Unless I hear of a better way, will probably just have rock dumped on top of dam and scoop it up / place it with my trackhoe. Is there a better way?