Jeff,
I don't want to leave ya hangin', but I don't have alot more to add. The core looks good, except that it is difficult to tell if the overall length is sufficient...? What I do have to ask is the construction process I see. I will throw this one out for the other dirt guys on this forum. It appears that the dam was constructed, then the core was cut thru the new dam. It's not how my guy did it. I could be wrong, but this practice doesn't make sense when you consider that the best dam is continuous, layered monolithic structure. Is it just me?
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If you have the ability to reach out to the excavator that built it, and you think that he will have a reliable memory (?), do so. I would remind him of his proactive statement of disclaimer to hold water, then describe your findings at the back of the dam. It does appear in the '02 pics that there is a notable amount of rocks/gravel, but I don't have the experience to make a statement as to their relative detrimental value in a make/break equation.
