Theo, I don't think my ice ever got too thick last winter; guessing 4" - 6" max...? The water level was just a couple inches over many of the PVC Christmas trees and a couple of the tractor tire pyramids. I am sure that a number of the PVC trees were frozen in at the top. The tops of the tire pyramids, too. After the spring thaw and the water receding during the summer, I was able to survey the ice-shift damage. The tire pyramids; nothing/zip. The PVC trees; most of them got tipped over, the worst about 45 degrees from upright. For reference, the trees were set in a 5 gal bucket with about 40# of concrete, dug into the clay bottom about 6" - 8". This all occurred with almost 5 surface ac of ice. I have to guess that smaller and/or larger ice floes would have relative damage potential. Probably gotta figger in the wind exposure, too. - Thanks for checking in, Ewest. That farm field tile will probably always be the wild card for in-flow. I really wish I could have seen 'er goin' this past week. I know that this new water level (at 22" shy) is no biggie, but it is new territory for me and I have been waiting since last spring to blaze this trail again. I remember in the beginning that I said that my estimated 60 ac watershed would likely take 2 years to fill the hole. I will probably be closer on that prediction than the total cost to make it.
