New Pond

marrt · Apr 25, 2002

I live in Northern VA and would like to have a small pond. It would be a "run off" pond as there is no natural source of water available. An area of about 12 acres would form the water shed. I see a lot of what appear to be rain water ponds in Northern VA. However, when I talked to a "Dozer Man" doing some work next door, he said to not bother. Said the pond would dry up in winter and look bad. Does anyone know of a web site that would provide information on this subject? Questions like what amount of water shed is required for a certain size pond, rain water requirements, etc...

Harv · Apr 25, 2002

Re: Harv\'s Pond and Tree

Magnified, si. High-res, ???

The posted pond picture was reduced to 720 x 575 for browser viewing. For the closeup I went back to the original 1712 x 1368 image and cropped to the tree. I then enlarged that a little further, using bicubic interpolation.

My best guess is that it's a Digger Pine, which is characterized by a forked trunk which does indeed rise fastigiately.

I am familiar with the Sugar Pine cones that you speak of. We used to go out of our way (and higher in altitude) to collect them for decorative purposes. The cones I'm referring to, however, are typically 6 to 8 inches in diameter and more pineapple-shaped. They are extremely sturdy -- enough to tilt my tractor when I drive over one.

Dirt is better than tax.

No argument from me.

glennmac · Apr 25, 2002

Re: Harv\'s Pond and Tree

Wow, great call for a guy who professed sylvan ignorance two posts ago! Pinus sabiniana. Had never heard of it, and it's not even listed in Dirr. Had to search. Here are two sites with pictures:

http://www.washington.edu/home/treetour/dpine.html

I like the quote from the first that says: "The large, heavy cones resemble footballs covered with wooden spikes. It is best to avoid the pine groves on windy days." Good thing you have helmet.

Well, no wonder the picture is blurry (a technical term)--mere bicubic interpolation. That's probably why your "oaks" look like aspens.

Back to the thread, I'm jealous of all you guys' ponds. All I have is the Oozama Ver Boten--a muddy quagmire.

StoneHeartFarm · Apr 25, 2002

Re: Harv\'s Pond and Tree

bicubic interpolation?
fastigiately?

Man, my head hurts! I guess I'm a little hard of thinking today. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

It is a beautiful pond though. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

SHF

Harv · Apr 25, 2002

Re: Harv\'s Pond and Tree

great call for a guy who professed sylvan ignorance

Yeah, Glenn, it's amazing how perspicacious I can get when some mud-walking east coast barrister tricks me into cracking a book. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Actually, I'm glad to know what kind of tree it is. Up until this year my attention was always on killing weeds, clearing trails and taking care of Mom. It's only now that I'm starting to learn a little about the flora, fauna and aquatic critters that inhabit the property.

Man, my head hurts! 

No worries, Steve. Whenever Glenn is active on the board, I just break out that universal translator I picked up at the last Star Trek convention and all is well.

MossRoad · Apr 25, 2002

Re: Harv\'s Pond and Tree

Hey Harv,
I saw that pond photo and meant to tell you, that is a beautiful picture! What a great place to be able to visit.

I was in LA two or three years ago on business. I arrived on a Saturday night and they messed up my rental car order, so they gave me a convertible as compensation. I had Sunday to putz around, so I drove all the way up Northeast of Bakersfield to the Sequoia National Forest. I came flying around a curve and there was this huge rock in the road that I could not avoid, due to oncomming traffic. It made the car jump. I stopped and check for damage. It was a pinecone! Looked like that pineapple that you described. I assumed that it was from the Sequoia(big trees MUST have big pinecones right) but the park people said no and showed me a Sequoia cone and it was very small. But, like a doofus, I forgot what kind of pine those monster cones came from.

Harv · Apr 26, 2002

Re: Harv\'s Pond and Tree

Yeah, David, it sounds like you might've hit one of the Digger Pine cones. The first time I ran over one with my tractor I expected it to just smoosh flat, but nooooooooo. The wheel climbed up and over it, giving me a small heart attack.

That was the first time I experienced tractor tilt, and I thought sure I was going over. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

rlk · Apr 26, 2002

Marrt,
I'm also building a new pond in the Research Triangle Park Area of NC. I have done a lot of research on how to build ponds, and will attach some of the links I used. Unfortunately, not one site has answered all of my questions. Visit each site to see what it offers. It will take a while, but eventually you will get the information you are after. Good luck.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/wild/aquatics/index.html
http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/Subjects/farmponds/ponds.html
http://www.ohiodnr.com/pdfs/subjectindex01.pdf
http://aquanic.org/beginer/systems/ponds.htm
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://ext.vt.edu/pubs/fisheries/420-011/420-011.html>http://ext.vt.edu/pubs/fisheries/420-011/420-011.html</A>

If you find any other interesting sites, please share them. Thanks.

upgw · Apr 26, 2002

I'm just beginng the planning for an 80' round pond and have some pond literature supplied by the Country Soil Conservation District. One piece refers to the 'valve', if you can call it that. To drain the pond some day, you have a drain pipe run to the bottom, hooked into the vertical pipe that sets the water level. This pipe is plugged with, get this, a large glass jug, cemented into the opening. To drain the pond, you swim down and break the glass. Mortar in a new one when you want to fill it back up. The valve never rots out or sticks... manual valves are not recommended.

BTW - I've been told to avoid PVC for the piping because it can break easily if hit when frozen.

- Patrick