My pond guy finally made it out Saturday and worked on my watershed. He didn't get as much clearing done as I was hoping for, but I think it should help a lot. He spent about half the day clearing some areas above the sediment pond, there is a lot more that can be done there. I think the biggest help will be that he spent the other half the day cutting a channel that wrapped around to the other side of the hill. It will dump in just down from the dam.Today I looked on a property viewer website that lets me measure acreage, and it looks like I added around 2 acres to my watershed. Another good thing is a lot of it had been cleared before for a power line running to a 911 tower, and the wooded part is more open than most of my woods. I'm sure my water will be getting muddy for a while, but it will be worth it if it starts filling faster. Now I probably won't get any rain. lol!
Bob, I sure hope that helps! My pond has dropped about 18”. We haven’t had a measurable rain in over a month up north. It’s the same old thing. My renters beans look pretty weak. I’m hoping we get some rain soon, or he will lose money. The good news for me is the deer have been hammering the bean plants, so there should be a lot of them around come November.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
Thanks Jeff, July and August gave me my best rain falls of the year. September hasn't given me much of anything so far, just over a half inch. I hope you get some up your way soon. I think there is a chance of some rain coming in the area in 4 or 5 days.
I finally had some good rain and got good run off. My pond is finally starting to look like a pond so I thought I'd post a few pictures from yesterday. I think I have around 3' more to go, give or take a little. It always drops pretty fast after a lot of new ground goes under water for the first time so it may not be this high for long, but it sure is nice to see it near full after all this time!
Looking good Bob! We had a 2” rain in St Louis. I was hoping you got at least that much.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
Thanks guys! I've been waiting longer than most people have to,and I'm still not there yet. Lol! But at least it's giving me some hope. Lol! It's been about 2years and 4.5 months. Jeff I got about 5.63" since Thursday, the biggest rain I've had since it was built. Right now I think it is about 120' at the dam and about 230 long.
Looking great! Here in central MO we had approx 2+ inches over the weekend plus some snow, brought my pond up another ten inches which leaves me 10" short of full pool. Was wondering why your pond goes back down a little after a new rain, I have been amazed at the minimal amount of fluctuation I have seen in my new pond this past summer, it didn't seem to even recede any in hot evaporation weather. I have an old survey grade stick that was damaged and I set it in the water tied to a steel post so I pretty much have right on the inch marks, and every rain it comes up x amount of inches and stays exactly there till the next rain event.
All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
Thanks Gehajake,I wish mine did that good! Mine has several things against it. I didn't have the best clay,some of it was pretty good but most was real rocky and a lot of it was only 25-30 percent clay. The dam seems to hold good but the bowl didn't get enough compaction. If my budget was higher, I could of done better. Then it is basically built on top of a Ozark Mountain. I'm in the 2nd highest part of the state. Wells are over 600' deep in my area, so that probably doesn't help. So far it gets better the longer it is at the same level.
Here is a few pictures of the first fish ever caught out of my pond. Not the best pictures, but today was more about letting my daughter catch the first fish from the pond. I don't think this is the biggest one in the pond, from what I see when I feed, but it looks like it grew pretty good to me. I stocked them last may.
Here is a few pictures of the first fish ever caught out of my pond. Not the best pictures, but today was more about letting my daughter catch the first fish from the pond. I don't think this is the biggest one in the pond, from what I see when I feed, but it looks like it grew pretty good to me. I stocked them last may.
Alright Bob! That was a wooded ravine not long ago, and now you’re catching fish! Congrats! We’ve had some good rains lately, hope you’re near full, and holding. Jeff
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
Thanks Jeff! I think there is some bigger ones but probably even more smaller ones. I don't think that many took to feeding on the pellets but it seem like more and more join in all the time. I would say the bigger ones are the ones that took to the Optimal right away. I wish I could say the pond is holding great, but it still drops to fast. It does still seem to get a little better all the time, but the fuller it gets, the slower it is about getting better. Until this past week or so, I don't think I've had but 1 rain event since the first of January that was big enough to do much good. At least it is a lot fuller than it was this time last year. lol!
She seems happy and that's what matters. If the Fishman (girl) is happy what else matters. I think the higher it gets the more pressure on the leaky places.
Thanks Rusto! She was very happy! She hasn't caught a lot of fish. It was very important to me that she caught the first fish from the new pond. It would of made me mad as hxxx, if someone else came over and caught the first fish after all the money and work I've put in it. lol! I plan to catch the 2nd one. lol! I figure your right about the head pressure, and there is a lot more ground under water to soak it up.
I went over and caught my first one today. This one was a little bigger and had a little more color. I think it looks pretty good for 1 year. They are getting bigger in 1 year than I thought they would. I could be wrong, but I don't think they would be near as big without the Optimal. I still think I have some bigger.
Thank Rusto! I have to say it just really felt good to cast a pole in the pond after waiting so long.
I did more stocking today, 50 LMB, 100 YP and another 25 RES. I probably didn't need the extra RES, but since I haven't seen any since I stocked them last year, I thought I'd put a few more in just in case before the LMB get to big. I know LMB and YP don't mix real good, but I figured I'd give it a try. I figure the original stockers should do ok, if nothing else. I also figure the worse I can do is screw to whole thing up. lol!
Bobbss I wasnt around here when you started this project. I read the whole thread this weekend. It took a long time to get to where you are at now. They always say best things comes to those who wait. Looks like you will have an awesome spot to build. How is that coming along? Do you have a dock in the plans? I would want a long dock with a diving board. At 19 feet deep you shouldn't have to worry bout hitting bottom. Anyways congrats on the journey and hope it just keeps getting better.
Bobbss I wasnt around here when you started this project. I read the whole thread this weekend. It took a long time to get to where you are at now. They always say best things comes to those who wait. Looks like you will have an awesome spot to build. How is that coming along? Do you have a dock in the plans? I would want a long dock with a diving board. At 19 feet deep you shouldn't have to worry bout hitting bottom. Anyways congrats on the journey and hope it just keeps getting better.
Rusto, I'm sorry, I just now saw this post. Thanks for reading my thread, and the good wishes! You are right, it took a long time to get here, and I'm still not where I want to be. lol! But I have to say that even if it was to never get better than it is now, I would rather have the pond I have, than no pond at all. House is on hold for now, but I hope it won't be to much longer. I'm thinking that I will at least build a small floating dock to make it easier to get in and out of a boat, and the pond if I swim in it. I have a pool here at the house so not real worried about swimming in it. There is a tree that overhangs it that I always thought would make a good rope swing. I have a real bad knee, so I'd have to put a brace on, and still not sure I could use it. lol! It has been some journey, at least some of it's been fun. lol!
You got any updates on your pond. I bet its covered in snow as I type. We had about an inch of snow yesterday morning. It was gone by noon. Just makes for a swampy mess after. I'd rather the snow stick around just stay off the roads.
Thanks for asking Rusto. We mostly got freezing rain and a dusting of snow. The ground was warm enough that not a lot stuck. The pond was covered with ice for a while so it probably stuck to it. I just had a total knee replacement surgery about 10 weeks ago so I'm just starting to go over to the pond a little more now, but not when it is slick out. As for the pond it is still loosing water to fast but seems to still be getting better. We was in a drought for a while so lost most of the water I gained last year but it did stay a few feet higher this year than last and drops much slower at this level than it did when it first hit this level. The last few years we got some good rain in January and February so I'm hoping for it again this year and anxious to see how well it holds when it comes up high again. Depending on how it does and what I have going on I may try some Soilfloc this spring. The last time I saw my LMB before my surgery they looked pretty good, probably around 12" and looking pretty fat. The YP looked ok I think.I just started seeing them come up to feed more at the end of summer. FHM are getting thin. I'm hoping my knee will get a lot better than it was so I can start getting more done around the pond.
Never had knees problems. Do have an ankle that does some goofy sh*! sometimes. Hope for a speedy recovery for ya. Has your pond ever reach full yet? You might have said it but don't remember seeing a full pool picture.
Thanks Rusto! I never had knee problems until I thought it was a good idea to get a off road motorcycle. lol! Back in 2009 I went riding at St. Joe State Park that has about 2,000 acres for off road riding. A 12 year old kid ran into me. It dislocated my knee, shoved my shin bone up and behind my thigh bone and bent it off to the side like an L. It also fractured my back, hip and a bunch of ribs. I spent 8 nights in the hospital and the doctor that put me back together said 40 percent of the people with that kind of injury loose their leg. It hasn't been worth a crap since. They did a little more than a normal total knee replacement to fix things so I'm hoping I'll be much better after a while. The pond still has never been full, it came close last January. I hope it makes it this year.
That's sounds painful. Its sounds like you showed up at the hospital like humpty dumpty. Knock on wood never experienced anything like that. Your unlucky and lucky at the same point. Well I hope 2021 brings new beginnings for ya.