Hi guys,
Good point - a wheeled vehicle compacts better than a dozer, its all about the dispersion of weight over the wide tracks. However, it has been my experience that compacting with a dozer is sufficient with the correct moisture content, good clay, and, as I stated above - 9� layered lifts. The NRCS embankment pond specs that I have seen specify compaction by �controlled operation of the earthmoving and spreading equipment over the fill so that the entire surface of each layer or lift is traversed by not less than one tread track of the equipment�. This may not work for everyone, but this method has yet to let me down!
Having said that, I won�t design a pond on even �marginal� clay, and I don�t do large �lake-ish� sized ponds. Most are between 0.25 to 1.5 acres in size, usually only a 10 to 12 ft tall dam. The water pressures are much less on these small dams (around 5psi at the deepest). If I went any larger, I would consider going with a higher compaction such as those y�all have mentioned.
Have a good one!
