Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Wetland/forage pond and mosquito management

RAH - The expansion was definitely not sealed. They took topsoil and graded it "best they could" due to mud. At full pool the expansion trench is 5ft deep and most is much shallower. The trench was waist deep as of 5/10.
Bucket evaporation today was .25". Pond was down .75".
80 degree surface temp today.
I checked behind original dam break and spillway. No wet spots.
Think it's just evaporation and saturation?
What other info should I record? Outside temp around 90 an 15mph wind today.
At least the mosquitoes are almost nonexistent!!!

Think you just need to see how it does over time since you are not seeing obvious leaks.

3" natural gas poly line and PVC connections laughed at my many attempts of using pipe dope and then silicone to get the siphon running again. Even with screws. Flexible rubber connectors worked to join discharge and intake extensions. Gorilla Glue and self tapping screws on the stand pipe did the trick today! Of course this is after another failed attempt, forgetting gas for the generator and running out of Gorilla Glue today. The sediment pond should be down to 5" deep by morning. I'll transfer any desirable fish to the main pond tomorrow. There will be dozens of crayfish as well. The BH excluder is in place.
The Titusville Iron Works museum sent me specs on my 1918 Acme 12x12 30hp steam driilling engine pond yard art. They have one, another is running and can be seen on YouTube, another is being restored which makes 4 known to exist. It appears I'm missing a few parts.

Are you thinking about restoring it to running condition? It can be done.

No doubt it could be done but at 4400lbs I'd need some heavy equipment. I've restored smaller engines and they get expensive quick. There are no spare parts for Acme's available. That means either making new ones or adapting other engines parts to work.

Being one of four known to exist, it may have as much, if not more, intrinsic value in its current condition than it would if it were restored to running condition.

Old tractors and engines are one of my favorite hobbies. We've got 8 tractors here that are as old or older than I am.

I grew up in an antique tractor club and at one point owned 2 tractors and 6 engines. Now at 3 engines. Only 1 is restored.
This steam engine was rescued a few months before they called a scrapper. I had a fly wheel weight ready to go but they got it. I didn't see any parts that seemed to go with this engine but could've missed something. About 12 other diesel engines were there. Uncertain on their age but likely 30s-60s.

We are a few days from stocking 2yrs ago. We initially stocked for a 1ac pond and are around 2ac now. 100CC originally stocked and 75LMB this Spring. I think the BH are relatively under control and believe the 2-4lb CC can keep them in check.
We have an unknown number of LMB that washed in and one caught yesterday was around 2lbs. Lots of GSF, GSH and 1000s of gizzard shad.
My goal is big BG.
BG recruitment seemed poor this year, likely from nest robbing trash fish.
I have not caught a gizzard shad in the last month but see multiple schools in open water. They are being eaten readily but know there are just too many.

Should we stock more LMB or CC? Or nothing and see what happens?
Option C: Will the gizzard shad overpopulate and ruin it all?

Please be straightforward!