If the steep bank is not the dam, maybe you could stick some willow branches into it and have a little grove of trees? Maybe a variety of willow that could be used for something useful (baskets?)...
All are excellent points. We had ours dug last Fall and I want to add one more tip for folks planning a pond. Make sure that when the contractor can actually get the job completed that the weather is still nice enough to get a good stand of grass or at least winter wheat or cereal rye established BEFORE the growing season is over. We recently had to write a large check to bring in close to 30 loads of topsoil to fix erosion issues on our dam. It was bad. I had even put out 600 pounds of cereal rye (latest germinating cover crop) as they were loading their equipment - in the rain. It didn't work. Hopefully this time around it will. God Bless and keep the vids coming!
Use the backhoe on your BX to work down the lip of that steep area. Work it into a gradual slope, then, spread some topsoil and grass seed in the fall with some straw or hay and water it for a couple of weeks. Then leave it alone. Let it grow in in the spring by skipping it for a couple of mowings, then you've got a nice gentle grass slope.
Brother thank you! I just finished building a 1/8 of an acre pond in TX. I got nothing but clay and I rented a skid steer for the job. When you said $8-9k for the whole pond I felt bamboozled. I rented my machine for a week and it ran me $2k alone plus $300 of diesel. I did it all my self and it took me about 6 days. You said 2 years ago and I felt better about it. my pond as is would have cost me $12k and it’s only 1/8. I don’t feel as bad anymore haha.
I built my pond and it’s gets low In the drought time which I also hate but in the rainy season it sure does look amazing!! I’m in the Cumberland Plateau on ole rocky top.
Steep bank, can you work it with a excavator from the top working your way out? My local rental company loves me!, hard to get people to come do what you talk about or price is 5xs what it should be. Looks great and yes definitely is worth it!, i have no desire to waste my money at golf course, when I can be home at something like this
I would grade a little down on edge of the pond until you get to a height to start a deck, and then build a little deck over that corner of the pond to sit on, fish from, tie kayak to, etc.
Had a buddy fix his river bank with a similar steep section: concrete blocks, rip rap to a foot or so below the top of the blocks, then backfill, held up for 10 years now thru high water and river current, pricey though.
My pond started to leak after 10 years, I think its leaking in around the sandrock cracks that pond builders I counted when they were building it, it’s leaking near the sandrock location. I been trying to dig around the rocks to stopped it, will drop about 10 feet and stay there during the drought of summer. Bx23s with the backhoe is helping it to stay up more but still need work
i dont really know the specifics of the steep part of the bank, my thought was maybe building a big deck to hang out on. maybe have some stairs that lead down to a small floating dock for the kids to fish from. having a sawmill will greatly reduce the cost.
Water management 🦾 did you guys try pond dye to try and find the water table relief?? Do you have a well?? Brock has been threw a lot as well fish habitat specialist IMO. Keep at it brutha .! 🎯🦾🧬
Hi Lucas, thanks for all of the information. Blessings
Thanks for watching!
If the steep bank is not the dam, maybe you could stick some willow branches into it and have a little grove of trees? Maybe a variety of willow that could be used for something useful (baskets?)...
All are excellent points. We had ours dug last Fall and I want to add one more tip for folks planning a pond. Make sure that when the contractor can actually get the job completed that the weather is still nice enough to get a good stand of grass or at least winter wheat or cereal rye established BEFORE the growing season is over. We recently had to write a large check to bring in close to 30 loads of topsoil to fix erosion issues on our dam. It was bad. I had even put out 600 pounds of cereal rye (latest germinating cover crop) as they were loading their equipment - in the rain. It didn't work. Hopefully this time around it will. God Bless and keep the vids coming!
Good point!
what time of year do you suggest?
I saw on the net people used ducks to seal up ponds, seems their poop does the trick
I’ve heard that too!
@@PeeksPeakOutdoors ive also have heard hogs are great to, and I love bacon ,ham ,sausage 😀
@@PeeksPeakOutdoors Can you get several dozen baby ducks and try it, it would be fun to see?
Bentonite clay works to stop leaks
Use the backhoe on your BX to work down the lip of that steep area. Work it into a gradual slope, then, spread some topsoil and grass seed in the fall with some straw or hay and water it for a couple of weeks. Then leave it alone. Let it grow in in the spring by skipping it for a couple of mowings, then you've got a nice gentle grass slope.
Brother thank you! I just finished building a 1/8 of an acre pond in TX. I got nothing but clay and I rented a skid steer for the job. When you said $8-9k for the whole pond I felt bamboozled. I rented my machine for a week and it ran me $2k alone plus $300 of diesel. I did it all my self and it took me about 6 days. You said 2 years ago and I felt better about it. my pond as is would have cost me $12k and it’s only 1/8. I don’t feel as bad anymore haha.
I also had never operated a machine like that so the first 2 days it was more trying to learn how to maneuver the bucket to grab the most dirt out.
Sounds to me like you did fantastic!
Liked and Subbed,... Good info, I'm planning a pond build this coming spring, I still have several trees to clear out of the area first.
Thank you!
Nooice! 😎 STOC
I built my pond and it’s gets low In the drought time which I also hate but in the rainy season it sure does look amazing!! I’m in the Cumberland Plateau on ole rocky top.
Awesome! 🪕🪕🪕
Steep bank, can you work it with a excavator from the top working your way out? My local rental company loves me!, hard to get people to come do what you talk about or price is 5xs what it should be. Looks great and yes definitely is worth it!, i have no desire to waste my money at golf course, when I can be home at something like this
Totally agree!
I would grade a little down on edge of the pond until you get to a height to start a deck, and then build a little deck over that corner of the pond to sit on, fish from, tie kayak to, etc.
Good points Lucas! Thanks for sharing the knowledge! - Best, J. Andre. / Old Iron Acres
Thanks for watching!
I enjoyed this vlog so I subbed u ❤
Thank you! 👊
thx
Nice to harvest fish that haven't lived in runoff from toxic sources
For sure!
Had a buddy fix his river bank with a similar steep section: concrete blocks, rip rap to a foot or so below the top of the blocks, then backfill, held up for 10 years now thru high water and river current, pricey though.
That’s a solid idea though!
Did they core the dam?
Yes they did
My pond started to leak after 10 years, I think its leaking in around the sandrock cracks that pond builders I counted when they were building it, it’s leaking near the sandrock location. I been trying to dig around the rocks to stopped it, will drop about 10 feet and stay there during the drought of summer. Bx23s with the backhoe is helping it to stay up more but still need work
Yeah that’s frustrating! Hope you can get it sorted out.
i dont really know the specifics of the steep part of the bank, my thought was maybe building a big deck to hang out on. maybe have some stairs that lead down to a small floating dock for the kids to fish from. having a sawmill will greatly reduce the cost.
Yes that would be nice!
Water management 🦾 did you guys try pond dye to try and find the water table relief?? Do you have a well?? Brock has been threw a lot as well fish habitat specialist IMO. Keep at it brutha .! 🎯🦾🧬
We have tried the dye, but I haven’t had much trouble with algae so we stopped using it.
@ after the dye is put into n the pond go downhill you can check your well for dye or if your near a stream or creek. Tracking the water so to speak.