Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction What did you do at your pond today?

I bet he did not make that guarantee in writing...

If you have good clay with no inclusions of other material that could cause leaks you probably are fine.

We hear about the leaky ponds here on PBF. But likely hear of few that didn't leak even though they may not have had proper compaction. Proper compaction is a necessity with some soils, an insurance policy with others. In our area we don't worry much about compacting the bottom of the pond unless a seam is found. Core trenches and dams normally get attention to proper compaction, the bigger the pond the more attention paid. Small ponds problems are more easily rectified than large projects. Lots of cow ponds in our area are nothing more than the top soil scuffed off the dam area and the ravine cleaned out and pushed up with a dozen. Most work fine, a few have dam seeps and the occasional one that gets into a sandstone seam that is not fixed won't hold water. But that is "here". Our solils and subsoil generally hold water very well. Build a field terrace with a low spot and you have a "pond" till it evaporates.

Many areas are not so "lucky" with their soils water holding capability though.

We received another 1.07" of rain since very early yesterday. Pond #1 is still about 10 inches low, and #2 and forage pond are running over. At least my first pond looks like a pond again, vs a mudhole.

Wonder how Bobbss pond is coming along with filling?

John no big gains here, just slowly inching it's way up. We got around 9"-10" of heavy wet snow yesterday and over night. It turned my 30-40 minute drive home from work last night into over 7 hours. We had a light mix of snow, sleet and rain most of the day today. I haven't been able to go over and check on the pond yet, but I'm sure I'll have to wait for it to melt to see much gains. They say we should be getting more rain and snow at the end of next week.

I talked to my pond builder a few days ago. I think I'm going to have him come out and work on my watershed area to increase my run off, as soon as things dry out enough.

I gained 7 inches of snow so far More is coming Thursday thru the weekend! Just a small crater of snow.

I finally used up all of the AM500 I had. The feeding has been very slow at best for some time now, and with so much forage in the pond, I'm going to wait until the water warms back up before I decide whether to start feeding again. Time will tell.

This last little system dropped another 3/4" of rain and brings my total to 4" this year.

Decided to take some readings while I'm waiting for the Saints to pound on the Eagles (hopefully they show up). At 3:00, the air temp was 58*f, surface temp is 62*f, ph measured 7.0 on a litmas stick, alk is still very low (less than 40) and hardness is non existent. I really need to dump some more lime, and maybe some gypsum. Not sure if I should wait till March, when the rain slacks off or go ahead and do it now. I'd hate to spend $ just to have it flushed out the drain with more rain, since I'm at the pipe now.

Some insight from the chemists here would be appreciated

Seven cormorants a fishing, four geese a honking, two eagles a soaring, and a partridge in a pear tree. Okay, so I'm kidding about the partridge.

Folks working on our deck reported seeing a cormorant grab a fish, then one eagle stole the finny feast. The water turkey submerged, but when it came up the other eagle attacked. Unfortunately, the cormorant managed to get away.

Taking a page from our Italian pondmeister, I strung 80 lb test fishing line between a couple of stumps out in the water to trees on shore. They are about 8 to 12 inches above water level. Idea is to make cormorants reluctant to land on water they might not be able to take off from. We'll see, still need to add some holographic scare tape to it.

Fishing was slow, but we did catch six in two hours. Two were 18+ inch fatties and were released, four below 12 inches culled.

Today I checked muskrat traps. I bought and put out 4 colony traps last week. 2 rats down so far. I am learning as I go with this one, I have never trapped anything in the water before. I placed the traps on runs I thought may be active that were in areas I was most concerned about (near or on the dam). I have been been moving them slightly at one location that is in a den to try and get in the main entry/exit run. Today I found some fresh mud near a run and moved one of the traps about 2 feet. If the pond doesn't have too much ice tomorrow, I hope to have at least one more muskrat for the coyotes and foxes to eat.

Lead seems to deter them (cormorants) not that I would do that.

Where you been CMM?? Good to hear from ya'll again.

Thought we had beavers....which is still possible...but caught an otter last night.

I�ll take beavers over otters any day

Pat I think I have BOTH!

Otters eat fish, but I just planted some LobLolly pines a couple of months ago and worried beavers may see new trees as a buffet.

Checked the pond today with all the rain. No leaks so far. Still filling slowly. This was the only rain event since the dig. Snow's coming.

pics...been couple weeks since the dig.

[img:left]https://ibb.co/HhSm8ph[/img]

Lookin' good!..... Have you sharpened your ice skates yet?

I don't ice skate but my daughter does

We got another inch of rain with this last cold front. I was disappointed this morning when I woke up to find the pond really muddied up. Strange how sometimes it runs off clear, and other times the watershed is muddy. It had just gotten back to about 20 inches of visibility.

I guess with a new pond it'll wash the clay into the water, nice and cloudy. It looks to be about 4ft deep already from the middle. Couldn't believe just one rain event raised it up that much. Was a foot yesterday. Too bad any more runoff will be frozen in place with tonight's temperature in the teens.

Otter #2 this weekend. Wonder how many fish these rascals been eating?

More than they're gonna eat from now on. Were they coming through the pipe?

I've got a beaver to take care of myself. First one we've had in several years.

Al we think the beavers and otters are coming up a Lake Tawakoni creek-bed and calling the small albino cat pond home.

Zep, I am always on the lookout for both. Best way I have come up with to determine otters is look for their scatt. Can't miss it, it's full of fish scales. I have caught 3 in the last month along with a large beaver. And I am pretty sure the otters are feeding on the cnbg around the feeders. Based on the size of the fish scales seen in their poop. And mine also travel up and down the Bayou. I would keep your traps out for a least a month.

Flame, been way busy. Lost a job, started a new one, lots of stuff going on. Leaving not as much time to spend in front of the box.

Its been cold with really high winds so I stayed away for the pond for a couple of days. I even missed the last two days of duck season due to the high winds and high water. Kinda sucks since I've been training my Golden this past year. I made it to the pond yesterday afternoon. The high winds moved my floating pier a few feet and dropped a few tree limbs into the pond. The water visibility has gone to 48". The cnbg are still feeding at the feeders and I did see some chasing on the surface. And I caught another otter. It sucks but it's better than not catching them. I seem to catch 4 each time I find them at the pond. Ok, this is enough, hunting season is over, it's time for some nice 70 degree days.