Pond Excavation & Build

Red_Alert

Red_Alert

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And so it begins!!

Not sure if this qualifies as a DIY, but I'm having a 3 acre pond dug. I will be helping my buddy a little in driving the skid loader and dump truck moving dirt around to my west pasture and to some neighbors who want some of this (black gold) dirt. There will be a side dumper coming down in a few days so I'll have to learn to drive that beast. No, I'm not driving the scraper. I'll leave that to the pro.
We dug a pilot hole initially just to see where the water table is (6 ft). The black dirt goes down 8 ft before it starts transitioning to a sand/soil mix. Not sure how deep yet to hit pure sand.
The depth will be 20 ft in it's deepest spots.
There will be a walk-out sand beach for swimming on one edge. A nice covered dock in another spot. The rest will just be shoreline.
I'm having another well installed out there to keep the pond at berm level and to also supply water to a few camping pads so friends/family can come out to party hard and have a place to crash.
Looks to be a 5 - 6 week project before pond completion and I can get it stocked with crappie, bass, bluegill, and catfish.

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Looks like it's 'Spring Fed'
If it is fed by a creek/stream/river you might want to get the Corp. of Engineers involved.
 
outofyourmind said:
Looks like it's 'Spring Fed'
If it is fed by a creek/stream/river you might want to get the Corp. of Engineers involved.
Click to expand...

Ground water fed. No streams, creeks, or dam involved.
Already been through the NRD and the Corp for stamps of approval.
I'm classified as a farm so they said get after it.
 
outofyourmind said:
Looks great.
Lots of work there.
How many dump truck loads do you anticipate
Click to expand...

No idea.
A lot, but what I don't use has all been bought.
The guy doing the digging is buying some.

Translation: Discount on his hourly equipment rate.
 
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Red_Alert said:
I will be using an off-grid wind/solar hybrid to supply electricity to the well pump, camping pads, lights, and aeration bubblers.
Click to expand...
So with a well pump does that mean you don't have to dig below the water table and you are pump water into the pond?

Or do you dig or scrape the dirt away so you're below the water table?

Totally cool project.....wish I could do something like that.
 
Red_Alert said:
And so it begins!!

Not sure if this qualifies as a DIY, but I'm having a 3 acre pond dug. I will be helping my buddy a little in driving the skid loader and dump truck moving dirt around to my west pasture and to some neighbors who want some of this (black gold) dirt. There will be a side dumper coming down in a few days so I'll have to learn to drive that beast. No, I'm not driving the scraper. I'll leave that to the pro.
We dug a pilot hole initially just to see where the water table is (6 ft). The black dirt goes down 8 ft before it starts transitioning to a sand/soil mix. Not sure how deep yet to hit pure sand.
The depth will be 20 ft in it's deepest spots.
There will be a walk-out sand beach for swimming on one edge. A nice covered dock in another spot. The rest will just be shoreline.
I'm having another well installed out there to keep the pond at berm level and to also supply water to a few camping pads so friends/family can come out to party hard and have a place to crash.
Looks to be a 5 - 6 week project before pond completion and I can get it stocked with crappie, bass, bluegill, and catfish.

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View attachment 75696
Click to expand...
Dang. So jelly. I thought you meant like a fuggin' koi pond or something :laugh:
 
Fog said:
So with a well pump does that mean you don't have to dig below the water table and you are pump water into the pond?

Or do you dig or scrape the dirt away so you're below the water table?

Totally cool project.....wish I could do something like that.
Click to expand...

The bold.

We're digging down 14 foot below the current water table (6 ft), so the well pump will be to keep the level at 20 foot at it's deepest spots. The pump will run on a float system like a toilet tank.

Bubblers/aerators will be in the deepest spots to keep the water circulating, oxygenated, and keep algae/moss from growing in the shallower spots.
 
Looks like @Parka has some fish habitat competition
 
This my water feature.... :beer2:

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NU_FTW said:
No boat dock?
Click to expand...
Nop not of the river or this case the slough....

My view looking down stream with my boat the Lund....Winter Time

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Water is fairly low....

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This is flood stage....

Thought about a dock but when you have to walk up the ramp to get to your dock I had second thoughts.
 
wildturkey said:
Got a cousin that has pond stocked with the same fish you plan on. The catfish ate all the other fish.
Click to expand...
Both my grandparents had ponds/old unused gravel pits. And both were taken over by bullheads at one point.

Both are blue gills ponds at the moment. Pretty sure dynamite was the solution on the one we swim in.
 
5 acre pond on my property is full of LMB. Best fishing in Southlake.
 
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