DIY Pond?

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

My family and I moved onto a little piece of property, about 11 acres, a year or so ago. It had a tiny pond on it already and we have really enjoyed it. I have had in my head that I wanted to enlarge it from just under 1/10 acre out to about 1/2 acre. I guess now is as good of a time as any...

I should have taken a good before picture... This is the best I have.

The water has gotten really low this summer so I expanded it out over the course of a full weekend with Little Bitty Big John. I thought I did a decent job with the tiller and the box blade.

Then... My brother-in-law called this morning and said "You home? I need to drop something off by your house"... Merry Christmas, he said. I have this for a week, and an operator for a day. I guess I gotta learn quick...

My 1025R and my neighbor's 990 are no match for a real digging machine.

 

[mike0000]

That’s a great Brother-in-law! Going to be tough topping that Christmas gift. Good luck with the rest of the pond build.

Mike

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

A bunch of dirt has already moved today. This is about 5.5 to 6 ft deep to the grass.

Just after I had my first "lesson".

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

More to go tomorrow. I've hired a tri-axle dump truck for tomorrow to move the spoils to the back of the property. The whole property slopes down from the center, and the back side is very wet in the winter. I'm going to use this to build the property up back there. It's all mostly clay the top soil is no different than several feet down. There are a few small vanes of shale but they are very narrow. So, it should all be good for ground building or fill.

 

[jaxs]

You didn't ask so if you have already btdt carry on. It isn't unusual for ponds to leak so make sure the soil will hold water and if necessary import clay to line the pond. The black clay near where I live makes great ponds but it's possible to dig through to porous soil and have to line pond with top soil.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I have not already been there and done that... But i am aware of the concept. The dirt we are pulling out will be good to seal with

 

[cqaigy2]

Nice!

Hopefully you have 5 gallon bucket of grease.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Nice!

Hopefully you have 5 gallon bucket of grease.

I did notice that tubes go awfully fast.

 

[NoTrespassing]

My neighbor and I had a pond dug 20 years ago. My main objective was achieved, to build up the road about 15 ft. His objective was to have a nice pond to fish in. That goal was not achieved, the pond has leaked since it was dug. There's a sand vein running along one end of the pond. In the spring the pond is full but by mid-summer the water level drops about 15 feet right down to the sand vein.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

My neighbor and I had a pond dug 20 years ago. My main objective was achieved, to build up the road about 15 ft. His objective was to have a nice pond to fish in. That goal was not achieved, the pond has leaked since it was dug. There's a sand vein running along one end of the pond. In the spring the pond is full but by mid-summer the water level drops about 15 feet right down to the sand vein.

That's no fun. I have been told by 2 different old timers that if a pond leaks, fence it off and get several pigs or hogs. They say the pigs will wallow around enough at the water line to seal it. They also said throw paper in. apparently it brakes down and gets filtered into the porous areas. I don't know if that would hold true for a sand vein though.

I wish I was going to be able to get mine 10 feet or so deep. But, in the time allotted I'm going to have to be happy with about 5' water depth. It will still be pretty though. I have time to either have the footprint I want, or smaller and deeper. I opted for larger. I have no idea if that was the right choice. But it will be just a touch deeper than the current one that's out there.