Backhoe in Frozen Ground?

[JHTFarmer]

If you plan on drawing down the pond, why not consider a home made syphon? With 6 inch PVC you'll be able to get that water level down faster, more efficiently, and faster than with any pump your likely to come across.

 

[bigtiller]

Put a piano on it.:laughing:

 

[2458n]

That little island is the top of a big pyramid of dirt. Draining is far cheaper- compared to bringing in a crane. This thread is very thought provoking on many levels. Thanks for providing a smile.

 

[Jstpssng]

you'd be suprised at how fast a good pump could empty a pond that size, maybe check into renting/borrow one?

Where will you put the water? If I figured correctly that's between 3.6 and 7.3 million gallons of water, depending on if it's evenly tapered from shore out to 9 feet.

 

[kcfarm]

The water will drain to a low area into a stream, so finding a place for the water is not a problem. The problem is that there is also a stream feeding the pond and it only dries out for a month or so in the summer. The most I could bring the level down to is by about 3 feet. Any more and you would be pumping against the feeding stream.

 

[Jstpssng]

The water will drain to a low area into a stream, so finding a place for the water is not a problem. The problem is that there is also a stream feeding the pond and it only dries out for a month or so in the summer. The most I could bring the level down to is by about 3 feet. Any more and you would be pumping against the feeding stream.

That shouldn't be a problem, you would just need to pump much faster than the feeding stream.

 

[simonds]

Two sticks of dynamite should take care of it real quick. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[Jstpssng]

Put a piano on it.:laughing:

Good one! :thumbsup:
It took a while to figure out what you were talking about though.

 

[BruceWard]

How far is the island from shore? A very large excavator might be able to reach out and get it.

 

[taborekle]

I can't comment on how difficult it would be to backhoe the frozen ground, but depending on where you live (your profile doesn't show it), it can get cold enough for long enough to support the tractor and digging. I use to ice fish with my father in Montana, and we would drive out onto the ice to where all the other ice fishermen were parked with their cars and trucks and ice houses and drill a hole with our hand held ice auger and fish. This is WAY out from shore. Several hundred yards. No problem if the ice is thick enough.

Naturally, you would want to go out on foot and bore hole a few holes with a ice auger to test the depth of the ice, before you would drive out.

I think that one of the things you haven't though of though, is that if the tractor is on ice, that when you try to dig with the BH, it will just be pulling the tractor around on the ice.

If the island is big enough, you could drive onto it, and then put the tractor on one edge and dig up the other. Eventually you'd reach a part where there wasn't enough island to dig from, but at least you'd have progress.

 

[Jstpssng]

How far is the island from shore? A very large excavator might be able to reach out and get it.

I thought of that too, but it would be well over 150 feet.

I like the dynamite idea... nothing like blowing something up to put you in a good mood.

 

[Transit]

How about using a water pump and hose to erode the island, just wash it away? That will be a lot safer than going BOOM.

 

[kcfarm]

The island is about 80 feet from the shore line. The pond is long, 600 feet long, not a round circle. Not sure if that is too far, sure sounds it.

I live in Canandaigua, NY, so it can get quite cold for a solid month or so.

I'm getting good constructive advise now, so that's good. The hay is a great idea and driving on the island to remove half at a time is a good idea too. If I dropped the water level by 3 feet, I would never be digging below the level of the ice, so the tractor would always be atleast part way on the island. And the ice would always be supported by the island.

People race cars on iced over lakes up here....

Thanks.

 

[simonds]

Really, dynamite would be the way to go. You have to have it done by a licensed professional. Very safe if done right. Invite neighbors over, bring a 6 pak of good ol Genesee beer and lawn chairs, it will be a blast.
I'm just an old cowboy but that's what I'd do.

 

[some zilch]

long reach excavator parked up to the house in the water (break through the ice); or wait till the ice melts, and reach over and dig the island out