OK, short story. I started really stocking this pond in 2018 - It's been on the property for over 30 years - NEVER had a issue with it draining but no creek flowing it so it's a large pothole, water level varying by up to 2.5' over a year period.
In March of 2020 the local stock business came out with a load and he called - "your pond is gone"
Mid-Ohio - 1400'x 80' lake widest is 120' 2.5 Surface acres
I don't believe any fish will survive the current lake levels and weather
In Mar 2019 it went from
to Jan 2020 -
The shale drain that opened up.
It's a long narrowish 2.5 SA pond that took a bunch of 5#+ LMB out with it.
The Plan:
- hire excavator company to scoop out the ridge going down the middle of long pond an build a 8'-10' bermed road on the spoil bank side 12" above planned lake level -- Every 300' put a 20'x20' landing coming out from the Spoil side and incorporating the 8'-10' wide road Lake is 1400' long. Put 3 landings in - put 6'PVC drain in the existing seep, Plug (first big question) and build 6"PVC snorkel drain 6" above old lake level - hire the local stoking CO - I'm pretty sure I'd want this to be a smallmouth and walleye perch and bluegill lake adding forage yearly
So now I've got two requests
- How to plug the hole correctly to ensure the 6' PVC doesn't get comrimised and the shale is plugged far enough to prevent alternate seepage
- What would you stock with and why?
Last edited by Stressless; 07/07/2106:39 AM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
I would just let it go. It looks like it would be very risky, like an endless money pit trying to stop it leaking. Long term, it would probably happen again in another spot.
Understand that reasonable suggestion, but for this instance we're gonna put thats the only seep, been 100% with that for over 30 years... more like 60. Something occurred which I know about to cause it and a plug on this end will recover the integrity. How to do that with best chance of success is what advice I'd like to hear. Folks that have actually done it. Win loose or draw - experience.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
I have 100% confidence in the area being sealed to prevent it from happening again if it is dug out and packed at least 24" thick with clay that is placed in 6" thick lifts, compacted and repeated.
As for the fish stocking, if you won't have Largemouth Bass in there, I would ditch the regular Bluegills, and add a mix of 50/50 Redear Sunfish and Hybrid Bluegills. Can you stock Hybrid Striped Bass in your area of Ohio?
I'm thinking about making this pond, Long Pond, a SMB, Walleye and Perch - I don't think I can 1. eradicate the reg blluegill or 2. keep them out all the other fish are dead. I'ld be adding forage FHM, GS and Tilapia yearly for at least 2-3 years until the predators get big enough. Also all three prime predators "more than likely" can't reproduce in this pond.
I agree with the HSB, I like the SMB fight better and like to taste better than HSB.
So I'd have this one Long Pond 2.5 SA with these three species, Walleye, SMB and Perch, and the Fishbowl pond, 1.5 SA as a LMB/BG/RES pond.
Not sure if they'll have to pump the rest of the water out when excavating or not, if so that'll make the BG "leftover" BG issue moot for restocking Long Pond.
Last edited by Stressless; 02/01/2108:04 AM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
A question I would have on the pond leaking, draining down, how long of a period of time did it take for the pond to drain down to that point? the answer to that question would give a better idea of the chances of sealing that off permanently, if it was a slow leak that took weeks for it to drain down to that point it should be easier to fix, however if it went down over night you have a lot bigger hole below the surface that has eroded away and will be a lot harder to repair, I had a fellow here local that had a ten yr old pond drain out over night, assume drained into some underground cave, Im not sure if he ever did get that fixed permanently, I know they pumped a lot of grout into the hole trying to close it off. Good luck!
All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
Here's the updated story as it applies to this project.
Two ponds, Neighbors Pond (NP) and Long Pond (LP), surface elevation in Mar 2019 were 5' different - Neighbor pond was 5' lower than LP.
When the dam blew out of NP, it dropped NP level by about 10', LP by about 7'. Also in a 4-5 month period since NP dam failure another pond Figure8 Pond (F8P) water level dropped by 6' as well - it is about 120' from LP. In the Mar 2019 GOOGLE EARTH surface elevation, or height above MSL, of F8P it was the exact same height above MSL as LP so this activity 'should' fix both ponds water level issues. We are debating on raising the water level in Long Pond by 1' or 12" with the new overflow in Long Pond keeping the MSL surface height of both LP and F8P constant, they might go below the overflow in drought but will not go above that height which might have contributed to the cascading failure.
The plan changed over the last year in a couple key areas: - Creating an overflow to the East of LP instead of through the highwall seep - Creating a overflow on NP to regulate the height and prevent another catastrophic failure - Closing and packing the seep with plug material including bentonite + 2' thick clay layer above and below the identified seep and 30' laterally - Using Beaver resistant overflows to mitigate the ponds height rising and flows across the dams
My neighbor had a strip mine pond that didn't have an overflow, the water just ran over the berm of the "dam" which was a road used when the area was stripped in the late 40's 50's. Then reused as a forestry timber road since... O/A April 2019 the water flowing over the berm had cut through the berm enough to become a catastrophic flow and cut the berm about 20' wide and 12' deep (yellow X)losing the retention pressure and allowing the seep thru the highwall to flow unabated (red dots and arrow). The aqua dot and arrows are the new overflows to manage the surface heights of NP and LP.
Went thru Pond Boss and some other forums to review ideas and get some new ideas on how to attack this problem. Got several recommendations on a Amish pond/lake builder and had him out in Mar 20 to get a perspective on how to attack the problem (he'll be referred to as the Contractor) and he wasn't positive on just trying to fix the problem on my land. Talked it over with the neighbor and we agreed to have the contractor out again and look at the catastrophic failure on his berm.
We all met in early June walked the berm and reviewed where to get fill etc to fix that NP problem and perhaps raise the NP level 12"-18" on his side. We all shook hands and walked away from the problem with a positive sense that we could not only fix this mess but improve the outcome, add preventative measures so that it doesn't happen again and improve the quality and accessibility of both ponds.
I talked with the contractor this AM and should have a quote by the end of the week. Tentative start date on the project will be the first week of August starting with the work on the LP side, creating an overflow from Long pond to the natural fall line on my property to the East/SouthEast.
I'll be updating this thread (if) the quote comes in as expected and we move forward. Taking a knee and saying a lil' prayer that this will go as planned and the issues that can be mitigated are being done.
If it works as planned, then I'll revisit the re-stocking plan for the fishery in LP and F8P.
Asking for folks to red team this, this is a one chance, expensive endeavor so all observations are encouraged.
Looking to get a cement truck out with boom like you pour a foundation. or Oil and Gas crew with the mud/cement they plug wells with,
Plug the NP side with couple bags of quickcrete and shoot the slurry into the LP void side to plug +130' with hydraulic cement figure .75' opening 150' long at the outside Volume = π×.752×150 = 265.1 feet3 =~ 10 cubic yards of cement if it flows proper thru the void. let that harden and cap the LP side with a large patch of bentonite. Cover the whole thing with 2' of clay top to bottom and 30' to the sides.
So if everything works out, dam redone in NP, plug works in LP we'll have to drain the rest of the water out of LP to do the work in LP. So the amount of rain water to replenish that pond is based off the surface area that drains into it(531,000sqft)/a permeability ratio, /1000(sq ft) X 620 (1' of rain in 1000sqft = 620 gallons of water or .62 gallons/sqft) in an impermeable surface...
The figures for the touched-up i.e., completed LP are avg 11' deep, 65' wide, 1100' long = 5,875,155.00 us gallons.
With no "permeability" 1" of rain in the LP watershed would produce 531,000 x .62 = 329,220 gallons. or ~ 5.6% of the LP volume.
OH gets on avg 40" of rain a year so 40" x 5.6% = 336% of LP volume with no loss/ permeability so it'll take, most likely ~ 1 -> 1.5 years to fill LP to the overflow or 224% - 240% of LP water volume with loss and permeability.
1) Has anyone used hydro cement or a Oil/Gas to fill a rock fissure?
2) I assume the pH will be off as the new water fills the void to the overflow. What's the best method tocheck and correct lime in a ~7.5 million gallon pond?
Thanks - we're looking at starting work at he end of July and should take two weeks to have both ponds dammed and overflows installed. All observations are encouraged and appreciated.
Stressless
Last edited by Stressless; 12/10/2105:19 PM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
stressless, Are these in a region of faulting? Was there an earthquake around the time of these events - even a small 2 to 3 magnitude quake that some might not notice but would be picked up on seismographs?
It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers
stressless, Are these in a region of faulting? Was there an earthquake around the time of these events - even a small 2 to 3 magnitude quake that some might not notice but would be picked up on seismographs?
Not that I'm aware - as I said above, the neighbors pond was just flowing over the dam/road and finally cut thru to create a catastrophic washout of his dam, which allowed the 'crack' to gain water velocity which washed and enlarged the crack.
*Assumption - fixing the dam on his side, NP + raising NP 1' will provide hydro relief to the flow from LP *Assumption - filling the crack with bentonite/mud after sealing his end, NP, to the mouth of the crack on LP will seal the crack *Assumption - putting a bentonite cap at the entrance of the crack's plug on LP and covering with 1' of clay top to bottom and 30' on either side should prevent another seep *Assumption - putting overflows on both ponds, neither had one prior, will prevent overfilling and possible rupture above the sealed area
Last edited by Stressless; 07/07/2108:46 AM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
I don't think this has anything to do with NP pond. I would urge you to seek to properly line at least the known problem areas in the way esshup suggested. I might even give esshup a call to see if he might be willing to oversee it. If your resolution is in your ponds and on your property then you aren't depending on anything and anyone else. It's not likely anything you are able to convince your neighbor to do will help your situation. I would focus solely on how to make a tub of my own ponds.
IMHO, something changed subsurface and this why so many spatially separated ponds are affected. I don't think the neighbors dam break had anything to do with your pond's failure ... even though they may have co-occurred. Probably ... everything is connected to some other event. My sense is that your pond spilled down to the leak and from there it went DEEP. You pond is a tub up to that point. In order to be sure that the pond holds water ... you must at the very least patch the spill point such that it is no likely to fail soon. I don't think this will require a cement plug but then maybe I am wrong about that.
It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers
Strip pit lakes are noted for blowing out. The spoil ridges are quite porous. No compaction, just loose shale, clay, rock, and coal.
That so many of them hold water at all is a wonder. There are quite a few around here that are just big swampy holes in the ground.
It's not unusual to have underground connections between adjacent pits. Years ago I had access to a property that was "reclaimed" strip mine land. One year beavers plugged the spill pipe on what we called the Big Pit. It over-topped and cut a spoil ridge at the other end of the pond. The water level dropped about 12', and within a day or two the adjacent pit, 300+ feet away by land, had dropped almost as much. The property owners didn't attempt to find and fix the connection between the two pits. They fixed the blowout in the Big Pit and installed a new spill pipe six feet or so higher than the level of the original drain. When the Big Pit started to refill the Little Pit followed it. When the Big Pit filled to the level of the spill pipe the Little Pit also stopped filling, but not before it had connected to another small pit by over-topping a spoil ridge. They installed an additional spill pipe on that pit at same elevation of the new spill pipe on the other pit. When it was all over the Big Pit had become the Little Big Pit, and the Little Pit turned into the Big Little Pit.
It's quite possible that the hole opening up in Stressless Long Pond is what caused the Neighbor Pond to blow out, rather than the opposite. I think Stressless is on the right track to fix his pond, but I wouldn't want to lay odds on it staying fixed.
Thx Augie, I contacted two mud loggers from Oil & Gas services - around myarea the Utica Shale play is alive and being drilled.
We discussed the bentonite slurry in the middle and cement at both ends and one had actually fixed a pod 8 years ago with this method. While I agree that
Quote
"correlation does not equal causation"
the likelihood that both events "didn't happen interdependently over a 60 year period and then occurred together is compelling.
And as Augie pointed out, ponds connected via spoil banks (where they place overburden from a strip mine operation) - my Figure8 pond dropped the exact same amount as LP, (Google earth has the surface elevation exactly he same prior to the blow out) I expect Figure8 pond to rise to the level of the new overflow installed in LP.
If it works...
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Copy all Augie - I've got one shot at it which is why I'm here asking for all advice / views. LP was a monster maker without any human touch. This 7.5# LMB was from 2016, I started started stocking forage in 2018, figure there were 4-5 8-10# LMB in that one - in OH when it blew out. So ya, I'm ate up and willing to invest $$,$$$.$$ at a chance to get it back but I want to slant the playing deck as far in my favor as possible. 30 years in the military taught me a couple things, fortune favors the bold and a fair fight is just poor planning on your part.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Guys, I am just saying. Three interconnected ponds ... not by intention ... but by subsurface. It just seems a bit hopeful that they only connect with each other in a goldilocks way where fixing the neighbors dam will fix them all. My 2 cents go to esshup's tack on the problem, but I concede to your wisdom Augie and Stressless, will watch with interest, and wish you success with this.
BTW. That's a great fish.
It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers
Two bentonite pumpers from the oil patch contacted working the stick to get an agreement - no standard for them but necessarily unheard of.
Contractor and I discussed it a couple times. I urged him to get BOG and eyes on it again - I want the quote to be fair for the work. He came back yesterday and brought a small hoe - He got that stuck in the first 20' = he went and got his big hoe and dug the little hoe out. No damage to any equipment but his ego was a lil' bruised. I've seen enough equipment operators working to see he's good, SO we both chatted and have a 75% plan.
The "seep" is at least 20' 18"x10" which is actually good for the bentonite pumpers they can mix a heavier specific gravity to plug better.
We should be at work in a couple weeks.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Stressless, You might be able to get the bentonite slurry for free. I'm not familiar with Ohio laws but it might be workable. Go out to the closest job sites where there are drilling rigs running. Contact the onsite Company man who represents the Operator of the project. Ask if he is using a bentonite mud system to drill the well. If so they have to discard or haul off the bentonite drilling fluid for disposal which costs the operator money. If laws there will let it happen, then he can discard it into your fracture. It is a win-win for both parties. His cost is for the vacuum pump trucks and he is not paying for disposal. Your cost is zero! It is done in Texas but again I don't know the Ohio laws.
Last edited by TGW1; 07/16/2109:33 AM.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
TGW1 - Thanks! My brother used to work in the oil patch so I called some drillers/operators and working on getting a company to plug about 50' and large cap over the entrance - we'll put a couple feet over that as well.
We should be pumping water out of the 1/4 acre left, starting today! - the excavator noticed a couple LARGE catfish in that survived the 1/4 last winter so that'll be interesting.
I truly wish this forum was more advanced to post pics and videos, the knowledge base here can not be beat. I plan to update as events warrant - mostly over at the forum that is much more user friendly (for posting a blog like story). I'll add the link to it as I don't/won't have the time or patience to redo all the pics the way this forum mandates. Not a "piss-on" Pond-Boss just factual. I truly hope they take this forum to the next level.
Dropping a couple $5,000 bills to getrdone so any advice along the way is GREATLY appreciated as this goes over the next 2-3 weeks.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Multiple angles of attack on-going... first serious day - first day with trackhoe.
Pumped Sat and Sat nite, restarted this AM
pic1
We hope to make it to the area where there is high dry overburden today. Once there he's gonna dig channels to drain the potholes to where the pump is... about 900'-1000' to go.
Made the initial goal, access to the middle berm to drain all the potholes into one.
[img]http://[/img]Pic2
ID'd the far end for the dam at that end. About 300' cut in..
Pic3
Got the dozer in, only slightly stuck once this AM, dig'em deep, pile'em high! (AF Red Horse motto) New dam at the North end of the pond..
Bentonite pumper on line waiting to schedule 📅
About halfway in the pond, ~1100' long avg 70' wide.
pic3
Both banks, one spoil one highwall made it inaccessible except for a nasty swampy launch at one end.
Such a treat already to be able to roll in 300+' on a 10' path!
Making the road go across the dam at the North end for access to the overflow and other maintenance.
Few hours later N Dam taking shape...
Pic that'll reoccur... on the North dam, looking at making a shelf for bedding about 6-8' wide along parts of this... asking the learned masses on this forum what's the best depth for the shelf for bluegill and bass beds...
Pic5
Last edited by Stressless; 08/03/2109:03 PM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Wanted to share here as there was some discussion on where and how for bentonite.
Got the dozer in, only slightly stuck once this AM, dig'em deep, pile'em high! (AF Red Horse motto) New dam at the North end of the pond..
Bentonite pumper on line waiting to schedule 📅
About halfway in the pond, ~1100' long avg 70' wide.
Both banks, one spoil one highwall made it inaccessible except for a nasty swampy launch at one end.
Such a treat already to be able to roll in 300+' on a 10' path!
Both banks, one spoil one highwall made it inaccessible except for a nasty swampy launch at one end.
Such a treat already to be able to roll in 300+' on a 10' path!
Few hours later N Dam taking shape...
Pic that'll reoccur... on the North dam, looking at making a shelf for bedding about 6-8' wide along parts of this... asking some forums what's the best depth for the shelf for bluegill and bass beds...
Weather has been perfect for this to get started, fingers crossed 🤞 for some more...
North end is roughed in.
Road down to the first bumpout.. the first two bumpouts should be done by end of tomorrow. Had Steve Fender stop in and give me some good advice.
Paths coming together... should be roughed in early next week
Got a bunch done on the North end and worked the South Road some as well. They'll meet in thr middle at a 17" red oak thats just above the road elevation.
A fast easy way to add structure and cover into your pond..
[video:youtube][/video]
Mrs and at the North Dam / road is roughed in around the inside.
Had planned for 5 bumpouts, 20x 20 or so areas to turn around on quad or UTV towing a brushhog. We decided yesterday to reduce to four about 60 yards apart and make spawing bedding benches on the four that were left based on the fill available and priorities of packing the East side highwall.
Mose brought his first helper in today so we had both the hoe and dozer working all day. Much got done. Taking a knee and back Tuesday AM- fields need rain but I need it stay off thru Wed... we'll see.
Took a little cajoling bit got them to move a bunch of fill down about 120yds where we really need it, and to set the self leveling lazer where you can see most of the road. That led to marking the entire East side for Road height Water level - 20" Spawning ledge start height 2' below water height Spawning ledge end height, 8' below water height
Last edited by Stressless; 08/13/2109:54 AM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Project going according to the schedule and big day tomorrow with a pump truck and 5500# of bentonite clay and they add cottonseed husks, met a great guy from a oil/gas deep dive I did on-line. He came out last Fri and met the excavator and we hatched a plan - that takes place tomorrow.
Pond plan is coming together - the solid dam on the neighbors side, to relive any pressure difference seems to make this not so much a folly but an actual chance at something really great. It's all basically roughed in road is leveled/cut in except for an area that needs fill from where we'll cit fill from the new overflow. Took pics from the inside of the crescent area the pond will fill, each pic is from the general area of where the last road ended on the previous pic to give an idea of how big crescent pond is.
Just made the name for this body of water, Crescent Pond.
The entrance, this end will done on the way out.
Note the trees will stay in the pond as structure for the fishery.
There's a 40-50 y/o red oak just past the track hoe and I'm making a bumpout at the base of it. It'll be really cool in 50 years... for someone. I'll be long gone.
Got all the fill needed for a bumpout here.
Hard to see on this pic but this bumpout has two side that slope to 2' under the pond surfance and slope to 8' under the pond surface 10' wide for spawning areas.... this one is done.
North Dam. the level of this pond will regulate the small pond on the other side of the dam with a screened culvert. Both ends are in my property line.
We chatted and decided that 2 of the 3 overflows were gonna have"equalized" water on the other side so I don'e need special beaver proof spillways.. I went and collected two of the three I have from other farm projects...
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Used 79 of these little rascals... brought 100, used 69 in the hole and kept 10 to put around the mouth of the seep tomorrow with 60' x 120' of 6m industrial sheeting.
I didn't take a pic of the highwall on the county road but it's about 60-70d vertial slope up about 50' and you have to use a rope to help hoist yourself up and let safely down. I did that about 9-10 times today...
we started the work at about 1200 noon, first truck shows up, I not exactly sure what to expect and Jerry pops outa the Cab, "man! just off the pluging job yesterday - got called out and worked all night at a rig, just drove up here..." great American! I'm thinking, and over the next hour the other guys show up and a couple trips up and down the slope to guide Mose the excavator into position.
Now Mose, Short for Moses builds ponds for a trade now.... very interesting. Well we're working on the project over all, pumper team was slated for around noon... We chatted at the new East overflow location. and he got to work. It's hilly.
got the North and South roads connected - Kinda felt like sinking the last tie into the last rail to connect them - in some small way
The dude that orchestrated the entire deal Arron Austin, Black T shirt - great guy. Pump truck shows and Jerry pops out, looks he shold be at a Dean Martin gig, then the Amish Mose shows up and the pump helper - we look around and all start cracking wise - we have +250 years standing around 5 dudes and it's not lost on us that many folks have just given up... we chew the fat and the water truck comes up .
Soon we had the config down and got pumping - clay- I didn't know what was supposed to happen and never used Bentonite before so I'm running Mose around, pumpers are doing their thing and I'm also in the pit watching the mud flow... well about now 50 bags into it... I think I better check the neighbors seep... to see if we were right or there was a big void we were pumping my money into- so up the high wall on my side, down the high wall on neighbors side to see the seep and what's going on... a flow thru had just started. Bentonite is the gray tan...
I knew were the source was and early I had taken a pick ax down and cut a couple hundred pounds into/onto the outflow seep on the far side. When I went over this time I stomped the mud down but could see the flow still outflowing into the other pond.
This contingency was thought about prior and we figured "if" se needed to staunch the outflow we'd do it when it needed it not take time away from the project before there was a "target ID'd"
Mose got over there and up and over spoil pile, across a muck tough and put 10 yards on the seep... in about 30m. We let the first 50 bags swell and the water pump truck went back for another load while Mose gotrdone.
Pumped a bunch more bags into the hole, 29 after the 50 bag run from the first run, and it came up to and filled up... putting that plastic and 500# more bentontie on the opening in the AM and 4' of clay fill over the entire mess....
Once we got that all done I came up and a nice tstorm rolled in after everyone had left -
The hole is as plugged as it's gonna get.
Each bag is 50# of bentonite clay.
Yesterday 69 bags of bentonite mud flowed into the crevasse, reserved 10 bags to use this AM to seal the deal. For a total of 79 bags or 3950#'s clay.
So this AM about 0700 Four bags opened and put directly in the end of the hole, then smooshed a couple yards of clay over the hole and area right around the cravasse. We cut sticks and pounded them into the wall over the now patched hole and proceeded to cover the entire area with 6 mil plastic, cutting holes with the machette and hanging the plastic sheeting. Then covered the plastic with 3-4 yards of pond clay and all over the face of the hole. Couple yards of clay smashed on top of the plastic. The plastic was 60'x120' we went with multiple folds keeping it tidy. Three bags tossed on the wall and areas around the edge of the plastic liner and over the clay. LOTS of plastic liners thicknesses over that and three bags around and behind the plastic after 10 yards or so of clay on the center of the plastic, directly over the hole.
Mooch getting a ride with the pump and gear across the moat..
Mooch rolled from working with the 180th Fighter Wing, a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Toledo Air National Guard Base, Ohio. He does Datalink, digital death we like to call it. Anyway, he was close and came in last night to pitch in to the chores and work here at the farm for Aug chores. Made the clay packing go real nice with an extra set of hands.
Then about 4' of material over the 'hole' mess to seal it in.
Last edited by Stressless; 08/13/2110:30 AM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Thanks for following along - nothing else will happen until it fills up - or not. I'll post up what's going on over the next year or so that it should take to fill Crescent Pond back up. Changed the name from long pond. Regardless, I have access to about 1/5 of the farm that was previously inaccessible except by arduous barely passable slopes.
Me and Pepe ( my name for my quad) got busy Sat afternoon. A ton of lime, 10 bales and 200# of grass seed.
Happiness was a set of empty pallets! With the heat and humidity I was a filthy critter at the end of it....
All the all the planning and effort for this project is complete. It went from an inaccessible, too steep to walk on spoil bank to:
taken from BumpOut 1
Taken from BumpOut 2
Taken from BumpOut 3
Taken from BumpOut 4
Ibid: Neighbors dam repair was completed yesterday, so all planned actions on the objective are completed. Now we wait and see but I think it'll pass.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
WOW! What a big project...good for you! The bass you used to get were awesome for Ohio,or anywhere... can see why you invested in this project like you did.
From Aug to Nov we've been in a drought for the local area - about 6" below normal, setup PondCam today to observe what's happin down there. I'd say we have 3-4' filled of the 10-11' expected the water volumn with removing the middle - as this is a "pothole" and no streams run into it I don't expect the level to remain constant, but the overflow should empty any excess. I plan to wait until Apr or so and test the water to see if it needs amended or not and if the plug holds, the neighbors rebuilt pond is up to the overflow we put in = so I'm hopeful for my two ponds.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Well the water is rising as the rains come in. On Saturday I took an hour or so and cut the snags off about 4' below the anticipated high water level. I reduced the snaggs as I really don't want to use 50# braid for bluegill...
8F and chainsaw work made some nice working working conditions - nice to just walk out and getRdone....
Replaced the camera and getting some pics of the water rising and installed a not so secure PVC measuring element to the overflow. I plan to move the camera and level meter to get a good watch on the overflow and levels.
The pond is 11' deep throughout the 1100' and has risen about 7 feet so far.... since Aug, with a 3 month drought Aug->Oct On track for it hitting the overflow about March and that will signal the start of forage stocking.
Last edited by Stressless; 01/11/2201:20 PM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
getting there inch by inch... you can really see the old pond high water level on the far bank. new pond high water via the new overflow will be about 1" below the old high water mark.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
At least 1' since the 13th - that's 12 inches x 531,000SqFt or 12" x 329,220 gallons ( 3,950,640 gallons with no loss) of the surface acre plus the limited watershed for this pothole pond. I think the ice uplift pulled the measuring stake out with the rise.
Last edited by Stressless; 03/10/2209:11 PM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Got to the farm to get frost seeding of plots done and checked up on Crescent Pond. Overall 90+% happy, Mose didn't follow my direction on how high I wanted the limit of the escarpment into the spoil bank and now he'll have to come and remediate a portion of it - but that's minor compared with the overall job he did at the front end. The dates on the pics are a couple days and near 2" of rain apart, the pic of the stake and overflow were from today. About 14-15" to the overflow.
Apparently I put the pvc better than I thought
Plan to get the water sampled in the next couple weeks. It's an old strip mine pond that had great fish - so any ideas how detailed I should go on the water analysis?
Last edited by Stressless; 03/08/2206:21 PM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
LoL - I can adjust the "Time between pics" but more than .25 sec it starts to drag out. I'll prob wait till it hits the overflow and then post the last time-lapse and stretch it out.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
As expected the pH test for the pond came back fairly hot 5.1 pH. After doing some research I should have taken soil samples Prior to it filling and amended it with AgLime at that point. - Makes perfect sense and I had thought about it but didn't get the knowledge until now of how and the studied findings on different lime formulations.
Anyway - 4 actual tons, at the neutralizing rate of 2T per surface acre after the "loss"
Last edited by Stressless; 04/18/2209:03 PM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Got to the overflow and had Mose into get some light work now that the pond level was known...
This is what it looked like prior to him coming in and getting into a bit of a pickle...
he kept trying to get that behemoth out and only got it deeper and deeper...
I finally got him to call it a recovery and he got another track in with a winch on it and got it out.
At the end of the day he left some deep gouges after a 3-4 hour delay from getting the dozer about swamped.
He came back in and backed out all the ruts and finished up real nice.
The pH had come up to 6.3 or so but that was prior to the new work so I'll have to add about 1000#or so to the new areas but once that's done I'm 97.5% sure that the excavator work on the pond is complete and all I have to do is dial in the chemistry and stock.
Right now it's a a little lime to hit the 7.0 pH and gypsum to raise the alkalinity to the right level.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
There a been a good couple 'validation' points along Crescent Pond renovation and this one is specific to the evaporation / seepage.
Aug '21 - late May '22 - the pond filled up to the overflow, 11' deep, 65' wide, 1100' long = 5,875,155.00 us gallons.
Since the material I used to make the "dam" aka causeway at the property line is porous I have to figure the other surface area into as well, which comes to 2.5 SA.
We've had a drought in this part of Ohio for about 3 weeks now and I have a rain gauge at the farm so I have the data to correlate.
In June, .24"+.56"+.64"+.08"+.04" = 1.56" total rainfall for the month. The watershed I calculated is 1" of rain in the ponds watershed would produce in 531,000 sqft x .62 = 329,220 gallons or in June we should have added 513,583 gallons.
NCRS and others have "average" evaporation rates by month - so for June - that's 4.5" of loss per PAN for the month of June.
So, if I do Simple (KISS) 1.56" of rainfall (-) 4.5" of avg PAN evaporation loss 'should' indicate a drop in the overall pond average level by -2.94" (roughly)
Last day of June capture.
this last pic is zoom on pond level indicator. There is a mark right at the current water level which is ~ 3" low, or below the overflow. The validation is that the pond's renovations and patch (Aug '21) are all holding really well based on the correlation of the Avg PAN loss and the current pond level.
Lots of SMILES over here!!!
Last edited by Stressless; 07/01/2210:41 AM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
That is great news! for the amount of work and money you have committed to the project. You cant get much better news then that, other then finding out your fish grew much faster then you expected!
All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
Good news and Bad news on the Crescent Pond project.
[video:youtube][/video]
-June'22, Tested pH and it came to 7.0 pH -July'22, Tested pH it came in at 7.0 pH -July '22, Stocked 15# of Fathead minnows(FHM) and 40 Redear Sunfish(RES) -Aug'22, Tested Alkalinity - Hellaoff at 23ppm... < 20ppm fish can't live.
With the pH dialed in I needed to get Alkalinity ppm up above 50, really above 100 ppm if possible. I looked around and found powered gypsum was the just the ticket I needed. Did the math on surface arce foot etc ordered enough to bring, in a lab environment, the Alkalinity up to 150ppm, the lower limit the pros here told was 80. IF I get it to 100 ppm I'll be real happy.
-Aug'22, amended with 2200# of powered gypsum to meet the 150ppm of Alkalinity. Did this off the venerable old rowboat with a modified sluice and 4.0GPM pump.
pH and Alkalinity 'should be good' for bit but now the seep.
With the drought this fall I was really hopeful the water drop was the result of that and not a seep. That's not the case as Oct-Jan rolled in with ample moisture and almost no evaporation (PAN) the level is holding solid about 2' below the overflow.
That's the good and bad news, if I don't do another thing the pond will thrive. .... but I'm me and as I push the glasses up the bridge of my nose and adjust my britches I know I 'might' be able to plug the seep, it raised up the overflow once so somewhere there's a seep (maybe more) but since it reached the overflow it's put a couple hundred thousand gallons thru the seep - it shouldn't be too hard to find.
Current plan is to test pH and Alkalinity in March'23 - if those are holding steady I'll stock FHM, RES, Golden GSH, SMB and YP - to be in the right ratio and plentiful. Also plan to add 300-400 crayfish.
Also in March'23 I'll do a real solid visual inspection of the entire pond perimeter to locate the active seep(s). My bentonite supplier has both the granular and chips and the current advice from the pros is 70/30 Chips/Granular, 6" thick and 8' in diameter from the seep.
-Apr'23 20 bags of chips and 6 bags of granular per located seep -Apr'23 replace 12-15 cypress tress that didn't catch from last Apr
As always looking for advice/feedback --
Last edited by Stressless; 01/18/2311:11 AM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
If the bentonite doesn't work, talk to TJ here on the forum for his polymer product. I'm looking forward to seeing how the bentonite does and how long it lasts if it does work.
Is the experience with Bentonite that it degrades? or just doesn't work? I do NOT like redoing things - first things first thou... I need to find the seep which I'm pretty sure I'll be able to do.
I put TJ in the PMail thing but no user showed up - could you sen him this thread link - like to chat with him - much appreciated.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
Is the experience with Bentonite that it degrades? or just doesn't work? I do NOT like redoing things - first things first thou... I need to find the seep which I'm pretty sure I'll be able to do.
I put TJ in the PMail thing but no user showed up - could you sen him this thread link - like to chat with him - much appreciated.
Sorry, TJ is a moderator here. teehjaeh57
Dave Davidson has had first hand experience with Bentonite not working long term. Dave Davidson1
Thx for opinions and observations guys. I'm working through the COA's, getting Boot on Ground in March to observe the leak/seep will tell the tale I think. She's holding steady at 2.3' below the overflow and 8.7' deep.
Last edited by Stressless; 01/25/2311:53 AM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
BLUF: The pond was 18" below overflow with a seep, it has gone a few inches lower over the summer so I decided to chase One Gremlin One time. I'm asking for any advice you all have had on plugging a known seep.
The pond project has gone very well from what I actually expected. There is one seep that has been located and is exactly where Mose got the dozer struck and messed up the formation underground in Aug '22. To compound the issue/problem it appears they buried a couple trees under the road when I wasn't on site for that one part of the work once they winched his dozer out.
A couple weeks ago on 23 Aug we got +2" of rain and I was on site and checked for the seep(s) along the entire edge of the pond. Only one was found as noted - right where the dozer went in.
This is where I'd like folks advise/constructive additions to the process [Actions on the Objective] as I have only plugged one seep and that was documented above in this thread.
1. Start buy digging a 12' long trench, parallel to the pond, at the base of the hill that wasn't disturbed by the original excavation in '21 or the work done in '22 to remove a hill that was collapsing into the pond road. The trench is a far from the pond edge as possible.
2. Dig down in that 12' long trench until we cross the seep and dig at least 2' down past the last wet/water/seep. It may be infiltrated with water add 3-500#'s of bentonite bottom and see if we can get any bentonite slurry to flow into the seep/hole this is pure conjecture but we'll be ready with a slurry pan and 4gpm pump.
3. Once the bentonite is in and one the edges of the trench fill and pack the trench with regular clay, add bentonite to it and on top. Fill trench and top with material.
4. Dig out the seep and tree trunk.root from trench to pond, add 500-900#'s of bentonite into the trench and close to the opening, fillwith reglulr clay and top and sides with remaining bentonite.
5. Remaining Clay packed along the pond edge on/around the edge of the disturbed ground.
We're getting after this next Thursday the 14th so timely ideas/advise is encouraged. 💦
Last edited by Stressless; 09/08/2301:55 PM.
8 Ponds in Mid-East Ohio, three streams that merge to 1.
A couple weeks ago on 23 Aug we got +2" of rain and I was on site and checked for the seep(s) along the entire edge of the pond. Only one was found as noted - right where the dozer went in.
How are you locating the seeps with high banks all around your pond?
Do you think the tree trunks are acting like a "pipe through the dam", and water channeled through your constructed bank following the long-axis of the tree trunks?
Your plan sounds solid to this non-expert.
P.S. Did you go from "Stressless" to "Stressed Out" when someone tried to add a Komatsu dozer to your pond structure?