TT,
Fire away with your list of questions. One of the great things about this Forum is that most everything you may run into, someone has experienced it before and learned from it.
Size of your pond now and in the future. If you don't have access to a long tape measure...one of those 300 foot jobs...then measure your walking step and walk the perimeter of the old pond counting your steps as you go. Give us the approximate geo shape, i.e. retangular, square, triangle, circle, and I'll compute the number of acres for you. Do the same for the "new" pond.
Also, something else, another "assignment", try to measure the depth of the "muck". Use a stick or board or something to get a rough idea of how much material you are dealing with. It can really surprise you...it can be several feet deep and weigh many many tons...depending on your ponds age and condition. One caution, in performing this assignment, recognize that the "muck" is very much like quick sand, only much worse....once you get in it, it will be very difficult to get out, and we would hate to loose you before we even get started good.
