Hello All,
This spring I'll be constructing my first pond! A small 1/10 acre bluegill grow out pond, maybe about 4' deep. I have free access to a Case580 backhoe and a bulldozer. I just supply the diesel. My question: I'm having some difficulty renting a sheepsfoot roller since I am not a bonded company and will need an insurance police for the one day rental. I do have access to a Hamm 3 ton smooth roller for free. I know a sheepsfoot is the way to go, but given the circumstnaces, could a smooth roller be adaquate? Thanks for the input.

The probem is why I switched homeowners insurance companies. My old one wouldn't write a rider for rental equipment. The new one does, IIRC it's $0.68/day per $100K of equipement cost. All I need to do is call them up to get the rider started. She said one day or 365 days, it didn't matter, the price stayed the same.

esshup, never heard of that -great idea!

Mike Otto pond builder extraordinare in the Sept-Oct 2012 issue of Pond Boss discusses soil compaction and that are several very good ways to compact clay for pond liners: "Clay Is Our Friend If We Treat It Right". A roller was not one of the techniques presented. Best tools were bulldozer, rubber tire weighted machine, and sheepsfoot. Propper moisture in clay soil is very important for best compaction. If one is experienced at this type of thing I suggest getting the above issue of Pond Boss magazine.

I remember reading that article. I gave that issue away after reading it cover to cover! DOH !!! I remember a sheepsfoot roller was the preferred roller, but since I'm having difficulty renting one and I can use a smooth roller for free, I'm wondering if it will suffice? I will check with my homeowners ins. policy and see if that is an option.

Road, to properly compact the clay, it must be "stitched" and compacted. A sheepsfoot's spikes mixes and "stitches" the clay deeply and tightly making it one solid entity with no airbubbles or cracks. A smooth drum makes it look pretty, but will do little compaction and no stitching beyond a couple inches of depth.

I would personally try to find a 36,000 pound vibratory sheepsfoot compactor.

It sounds like a sheeps is a must. Since that is the case, I'll hire someone if I have to do the job with the right equipment. Thanks for the input gents.

It may not be a "must", but I've never seen a pond built with a sheepsfoot roller have a leakage problem.........

A pond can be built with a dozer and not leak also. But you need pond building experience to do this correct. We have built several ponds without a sheepsfeet roller and they don't leak. Once again we do something a little different than most. I will try to get a picture later of what is commonly used in this area to build ponds.

I've never built a pond, but I am a subscriber to Pond Boss magazine! Hahahaha! Only a handful of people on this island with any type of pond building experience anyways. Most are just irrigation resevoirs in the ag lands and not dedicated fish ponds.

For a 1/10 acre pond, use the free smooth drum roller and place the material in thin lifts. In a perfect world I would have the perfect piece of equipment for every job but in reality you can make due with what you have and do a good job.

Bearbait1 - In your definition what is a thin lift? Proper soil moisture will also be critical when using a smooth roller. IMO renting a proper compactor for just a 1/10 ac pond will be inexpensive and WELL worth the extra cost. Trying to fix a leaky pond the 1st or 2nd time will cost much more that doing it properly the first time. Ask anyone with a leaky pond for testimony.

I agree with the other folks in this thread. A sheepsfoot roller gives the best compaction for the area.

We use a pull behind scraper behind a tractor but that would be a large investment for most. But as farmers, we already have the tractor so the scraper is a must if you want to do your own dirt work.

Use the free roller. Don't worry, be happy.

I've came across a mutual friend that has his own landscaping company so he can rent the sheepsfoot roller w/o issues.

Great! You'll be happy.

1.5 acre pond...$4000 original build....$24000 in repairs and still leaks 3 feet below full pool....Do it right the first time!

I am new to this forum but have a thread going about my own leaky pond. Having our own 1/10 acre pond six feet deep, my own two cents is to do anything you can to get the clay layer right. We did bucket tests in which we drilled holes in the bottom of a five gallon bucket, filled it most of the way with the clay we were going to use, covered the clay with water, and then put it where it would see little evaporation. The goal was to see how well it held water or if it leaked out the bottom.

We had good clay by that and the experts' analysis, but I think the guys who put down the clay liner were not experienced with what they were doing (I wasn't either!). I believe esshup suggested an 18 inch thick liner; ours was only 12 inches. I am not sure how to do that accurately, even on a small pond like yours and mine. Anyone have a way to know?

Our guys used their excavator tracks and bucket to compact the clay. I'd go for the sheepsfoot if possible. I don't know about a roller, but using a bucket did not do the trick. Our pond has been leaking for ten years, and we've spent a ton trying to fix it.

Go for the sheepsfoot and as much good clay as you can. Remember not all clay is equal and it is also worth trying to make sure the clay will hold well. For a pond that size you can consider mixing in some bentonite or ESS-13 right from the start if your clay needs it.

Bumping this back up because I noticed Michael's question wasn't answered and I now have the same question. After talking with some fellow Pondmeisters via PM, I've decided to use a sheepsfoot soon to compact clay throughout my pond as well as seal the upper bowl. What techniques are there to make sure you're obtaining that 18 inches?

If you've got a transit, you can take measurements before, during and when you think you are finished to compare the height difference in different areas of the pond.

6" lifts.