Using a backhoe to deepen a marshy area

[DianneInVA]

Its winter, and everything is under snow. But when spring almost comes, I want to use a Kubota b2620 with 16"backhoe in small swampy area. I'd like to get out some of the cattail rhizomes and deepen to about 4'. Been told I should be able to do this while the area is "mostly" frozen. (Northern Minnesota)
The other option, is to deepen the drain ditch so most of the snow melt runs off and hope for a dry summer; then excavate. Next year, I would refill to create the shallow ditch for drainage only during flooding. Any ideas?

 

[Opti-Mist]

If it were my project I would follow the latter strategy for personal safety. It would also afford the greatest flexibility of operating techniques to accomplish the ultimate objective.

 

[jeff9366]

You need a tracked excavator, which has a very light load on the tracks, to work near a pond.

You are too likely for the wheeled tractor to end up bogged and possibly immersed in the pond. Engines are expensive.

 

[coobie]

Its winter, and everything is under snow. But when spring almost comes, I want to use a Kubota b2620 with 16"backhoe in small swampy area. I'd like to get out some of the cattail rhizomes and deepen to about 4'. Been told I should be able to do this while the area is "mostly" frozen. (Northern Minnesota)
The other option, is to deepen the drain ditch so most of the snow melt runs off and hope for a dry summer; then excavate. Next year, I would refill to create the shallow ditch for drainage only during flooding. Any ideas?

I would check with your local laws/regulations before you started to dig in a marshy area.Had a good buddy started to dig in wetlands(his own property) and the DEQ got involved and were going to fine him pretty big $$.

 

[downsizingnow48]

If the area is 50 feet square (just a for instance) that is 10,000 cu ft to excavate and the bucket holds maybe a bit more than 1 cu ft. Slow. And the backhoe will get stuck in the mud. I would let a tracked medium size excavator do that job.

 

[newbury]

I would check with your local laws/regulations before you started to dig in a marshy area.Had a good buddy started to dig in wetlands(his own property) and the DEQ got involved and were going to fine him pretty big $$.

And the federal regs.

Several stories on here about people getting in trouble modifying wetlands. Unfortunately it is sometimes easier for the DEQ to lean on Harry Homeowner than catch the corporate crook.

 

[puckgrinder85]

The backhoe is great for small things and many different things, but I don't think digging out a decent sized area is one of them. Depending on the controls they are a lot clumsier than an excavator. Ask any operator that's run both, the excavator is a lot more productive. I spent 8 hrs in a 4 stick and it still got the better of me at the end most of the time. Ran a mini ex. for 3 hours and was very smooth at the end.

 

[uglyboywith11fingers]

I find even for a small pond, my backhoe does not have enough swing to dump the spoils out of the way.
The swing arc on my BX24 is 70 deg. each side... would be a tad better if it went a full 90 deg.
Then still gotta use the FEL to try to move the spoils farther away.
Better to rent a mini ex.

Pete

 

[DianneInVA]

Good advice from all. I was just bouncing around some ideas. Its the middle of winter and my mind starts planning. I checked (informally) on the regulations. Dept of Natural Resources did a walk about...and they consider the area "unrestricted". I am talking to someone with a tracked excavator to do the work; I've done business with him before (bought a couple of loads of gravel).
Convinced that this job is beyond the capabilities of my machinery.. 50 feet square = 10,000 cu ft. THAT woke me up. Thanks all.

 

[bigtiller]

Are you thinking of a small pond or drying the marshy area? My friends here have given good advice for a pond but to dry it out you will need to run a tile line through it. Anything done on top of the ground will have limited results toward drying it out.

 

[tcreeley]

Water needs a place to travel to in order to drain successfully. Water runs downhill. In ditching you have to think ahead and provide the right slopes to run the water off- and a place for the water to travel to. Otherwise the water will back up. Just digging the ditches deeper does little except provide frog swimming holes as the water sits in these ditches.
My ditches all connect and eventually find their way to the main road where they head to the local beaver pond. When it rains hard- the water flows in the ditches. Everything is sloped.
Summer is when I excavate- the ground is drier (July + August). Use the spring to draw yourself a map of where the water travels now across the surface. That map will be your reference for what needs to be redirected. Don't trust your memory!
Good luck!

 

[TomSeller]

We hired a dozer guy when increasing our duck pond size, but we are talking an acre plus.

 

[Coyote machine]

I had it done at my flip house next door. Pond had not been maintained for many years and the creek feeding it from springs uphill brought tons of silt and was choking off the entire pond. I re-routed the pond's spillway to where it had been years ago, and dredged tons of silt/muck onto the nearby hillside to revitalize the lawn/hill.
The thing you want is a long armed excavator. It is exactly as it sounds. It has a long boom arm to reach far out from the hoe without tipping/getting stuck issues. It is worth the cost because it gets the job done without the headaches of a conventional excavator.

 

[pat32rf]

Check around with the equipment leasing companies. You may get lucky when looking for that long arm excavator. They are amazing for pond and drainage work.

 

[txdon]

Go with a track-hoe. Here is a thread where cleaned out mine.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...track-hoe.html?highlight=cleaning+spring+pond