I have a small springfed pond in Pensacola, Florida and I am in need of some help. The pond is about 8 feet in some places, but was deeper before Hurricane Ivan hit. Will a trash pump remove the bottom sediment, or will I need a Trac-Hoe? The pond is stocked with bluegill, and I am trying to renovate it into a trophy catfish/bluegill pond. I have a Bobcat skidsteer at hand as well as a Backhoe. Also is there any possibility of making the pond deeper that the clay layer that exists?

Thanks!

The trash pump I have only dewaters. I couldn't see it removing silt. It pumps about 150 gpms.

Just my opinion but it would see even if a trash pump removed silt in the area of the bottom it was laying on it would seem it would be localized and you'd have to keep moving it.

I was just looking on Piranha Pumps and they have an Agitator slurry pump, would this work?

Any organic component of the sediment would be reduced by proper aeration. But that won't help with non-organics, like the soil, sand, and clay components of silt.

Silt can be removed by dredging or excavating from shore with a large trackhoe (what can be reached, anyway), or the pond can be drained to allow it to be removed somewhat more easily. But silt is fairly difficult to handle efficiently, compared to sand, clay, topsoil, or gravel.

If raising the dam is an option, it is often a more economical way to increase pond depth. Much more detail is available in Lusk & Otto's "Perfect Pond: Want One?"

Ninmaxx
The trash pump is designed to pump muddy water without wearing out the pump. It will not not pump much sand.

You said that it is eight feet deep.
How wide? Will your backhoe reach across?

Does the water come form rain,or ground water? That will tell us if you can make it any deeper.


Otto

The Water Comes from ground water and the backhoe will not reach.

There are special dredge pumps used for finding gold. They will inhale just about anything.

You would have to do like the gold dredgers do: Scuba dive and laboriously vacuum all the sediment from the bottom. Unless you have unlimited time and patience, it's not very practical. Or, maybe you could get lucky find the spring inlet and get it done in 1 hour.

If you cannot find a dredge you will have to remove the sand with a track hoe or drag line. Being on the coast you may be able to find a dredging company close.

Raising the water level by raising the spillway may not be an option if the pond is filled by ground water.

Don't give up.

OTTO

So a Slurry pump would not work in this situation?

Not sure what a slurry pump is.

The question to ask about a slurry pump is what percentage of solids does it pump. Is it 70% water 30% solids?

Something to remember when pumping if you do not recycle the water back into the pond it will be empty when you are done.

I may be off track if so just say so.

OTTO