Pond Boss
Posted By: JimNY New pond dam. How to prevent muscrats? - 12/08/22 03:55 AM
Got a new small pond dam. filled nicely. Got 3-4 ft freeboard and inside bank is grass that is too steep to mow easily at 2:1. The ponds in the area have muscrats, and this pond dam is steep enough to attract them probably.
Suggestions on how to manage the bank? Enameled wire? Rip rap? I like the look of mowed- that's preferred- but how to mow this? It's about 6-8 ft of inside bank. I do have tractor and tracked skid steer. Need ideas!!!
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Posted By: esshup Re: New pond dam. How to prevent muscrats? - 12/08/22 06:47 AM
Originally Posted by JimNY
Got a new small pond dam. filled nicely. Got 3-4 ft freeboard and inside bank is grass that is too steep to mow easily at 2:1. The ponds in the area have muscrats, and this pond dam is steep enough to attract them probably.
Suggestions on how to manage the bank? Enameled wire? Rip rap? I like the look of mowed- that's preferred- but how to mow this? It's about 6-8 ft of inside bank. I do have tractor and tracked skid steer. Need ideas!!!.

I'd use galvanized cyclone fencing. No way to get rip-rap to hold on that slope. Put it at the water level down, and use 48" tall fencing.

How to mow? I'd look at a sickle bar mower.
Posted By: JimNY Re: New pond dam. How to prevent muscrats? - 12/08/22 05:49 PM
Thanks so much, I'll look into the cyclone fencing. So happy to see that it's not going to break the bank and seems pretty easy to install. I assume it just lays on the bank at water level and held down initially with just some rocks?
Posted By: RAH Re: New pond dam. How to prevent muscrats? - 12/08/22 06:59 PM
Chain link fence buried below the dam surface (from just above full pool to 4-5 feet under water) during construction is a standard way to prevent muskrat damage.
If not in the city limits use a 22LR
Posted By: RAH Re: New pond dam. How to prevent muscrats? - 12/09/22 11:33 AM
22 LR bullets can ricochet off of water surfaces when shot at a low angle, so know what is down range.
If they show up, Conibear 110 traps (or the equivalent).
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