I have a small pond. I have it drained. not sure how to proceed. I have a skidloader, backhoe and an h4 allis loader. seems to be a lot of silk in there that my equipment likes to sink in. just wondered how any of you started on a project like this. pretty dry right now. thanks for any info. norm
- Thread starter pinball
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ditchwitch
Well-known Member
I guess im going to ask a stupid question and ask why did you drain it to start with
This probably won't help a bit, but an old drag-line crane out of the '50s would be an ideal tool. Remember when my dad had a channel dug through the swamp to the lake, guy had one. He could throw that bucket amazing distances, and accurately as well. Dug a trench a long distance out into the lake, and through a swamp to provide for irrigation water to a land mounted pump. All controlled by a cable on the boom and a second cable coming back to the front of the machine where the boob attached. Haven't seen one of them for years. Probably today's equivalent would be achydrahoe. Friend has one that has a 60 foot reach.
Two cables - one attached to top of front open bucket running back over pulley at top of boom. Second cable to front of bucket running back to crane at base of boom. Two separate winches run by operator. Throw bucket out in front, drag it back, filling it with dirt, pick up, turn and dump. Try googling dragline excavator. Sure you'll find some pictures.
Eric in IL
Well-known Member
I am no expert on silt removal, but did learn a little after I buried my D7 in silt once.
I would probably start where the drain is with the track loader. Just do a little, maybe nose in there 4-5 feet or so. Then let that air out for about 3 days. Then repeat. Could possibly work some from all the edges as long as everywhere you dig can still drain if it rains.
A slow process but you have to remove the silt before any drying can occur underneath.
After you get stuck a couple times you will know how far is too far.
I would probably start where the drain is with the track loader. Just do a little, maybe nose in there 4-5 feet or so. Then let that air out for about 3 days. Then repeat. Could possibly work some from all the edges as long as everywhere you dig can still drain if it rains.
A slow process but you have to remove the silt before any drying can occur underneath.
After you get stuck a couple times you will know how far is too far.
I drained my pond in the hot august heat---let it dry for a week and then put my dozer in there and starting from the higher drier edges pushed the silt out working in toward the middle of the pond. I did get stuck once or twice but had another machine to help pull it out
muleboss
Member
- Location
- Burlington, Kansas
You really need some water in it to make it work good. Better and easier to work with slush than mud.
After I sold the dairy cows in "01 I worked for two seasons in a quarry. One job was running the dragline, since I had some similar training in the Army SF. (Power Shovel) Yes, with some practice you can throw the bucket quite a distance. And with time, in a rather smooth motion, between swing and throw.
its not a big pond at all but it gets full of those cat tails. I do plan on enlarging it. just wanted to clean the 40 year silt out of it. want to get it all down to clay. if I had a big track loader or extenda hoe it wouldn't be hard all but Ill use what I have. thanks to all of you even tho some comments I'm not sure about. ha ha
ditchwitch
Well-known Member
I was just wondering because .There are products you can put in the water to get rid of that kinda stuff and clean the water up. But if you can drain it and do what your doing i say go for it lol.
ron miller
Member
i got a guy buy me got two drag lines for sale that is the best way to do it
kcm.MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- NW Minnesota
I've been hesitant to reply to this post, but can't help but ask this question but - seems to me it wouldn't be very difficult to make a float for a 3" or 4" gas trash pump to float on, as well as making a sort of dust hood that skims along the bottom. The pump could pick up silt and water, wash it up on shore and then the water could filter back to the pond through a row of hay or straw. As your tailings build up, let them drain for a little while, remove the silt to another area and go another round.
Could maneuver the suction skimmer using rope from shore or maybe use a makeshift boom mounted to your skidloader or other. When you're done, you'll still have a good trash pump and the hoses. Also, you could check with local fire departments to see if they have any old hose that needs replacing, or maybe that you could borrow in exchange for a donation (if it's volunteer).
Could maneuver the suction skimmer using rope from shore or maybe use a makeshift boom mounted to your skidloader or other. When you're done, you'll still have a good trash pump and the hoses. Also, you could check with local fire departments to see if they have any old hose that needs replacing, or maybe that you could borrow in exchange for a donation (if it's volunteer).
ron miller
Member
Guy by me got two draglines for sale watch him walk across swamps on pads this the way to do it
I was the director of waterways on Long Island and for our dredging projects we had to build dikes for the pump output--it is 10 to 20% solids so the water content is at least 80%---you really need a spillway in the dike otherwise most of the solids will wash right back into the pond---hay bills will silt up right away and not filter the water out--then they act as a dike
Geo-TH,In
Well-known Member
norm,
When water level is low, I have harvested lake bed mud to mix in with compost. All I have to say is if your silt is anything like my mud, it will stick to your front bucket, stick to dump trailer bed, stick to your boots, stick to your tires.
I have the advantage of having solid sand and gravel below my mud. Mud is about 6 inches thick. I have to line my dump trailer with sand and gravel before I add mud to get it to slide out of trailer. Then I spend a lot of time cleaning the mud from my front bucket.
GOOD LUCK. You may want to hire the job out to someone with a crane.
Geo
When water level is low, I have harvested lake bed mud to mix in with compost. All I have to say is if your silt is anything like my mud, it will stick to your front bucket, stick to dump trailer bed, stick to your boots, stick to your tires.
I have the advantage of having solid sand and gravel below my mud. Mud is about 6 inches thick. I have to line my dump trailer with sand and gravel before I add mud to get it to slide out of trailer. Then I spend a lot of time cleaning the mud from my front bucket.
GOOD LUCK. You may want to hire the job out to someone with a crane.
Geo
Oh man that D-7 is awfully big to get stuck. I knew a guy that had one from when they build the Atlantic City Expressway. He said they lined six of them up and just started pushing pine trees out of the way. He hade a huge trailer for the machine and another just for the blade. On the sandy soil at the Batsto engine show that monster would sink four inches into the ground over a couple of days just sitting.
mtf
Member
- Location
- Bottom of the Bluegrass State
In December it Was really dry here and I cleaned out a pond that had not been cleaned out for nearly forty years. I used a bobcat s250 with metal over the tire tracks. The silt was 8' deep at its deepest. I put 42 hours on the bobcat. Had a Dozer then come in to fix the damn that I had breached.
Since then it has only filled up once, and is only holding about 4' now when it should be 12' deep. I am afraid a new spring is back draining it.
Since then it has only filled up once, and is only holding about 4' now when it should be 12' deep. I am afraid a new spring is back draining it.
kcm.MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- NW Minnesota
Yes, hay "bales" will not allow enough water to flow. What I meant was loose hay or straw that would catch a lot of silt while allowing water to filter through. It wouldn't catch 100% for sure, but would catch enough to work.
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
In the good old days nobody complained about a 45 gallon drum filled with dry nitrogen fertilizer mixed with some diesel fuel burried 10ft deep and detonated.
Eric in IL
Well-known Member
My neighbor was able to get me out with his Versatile 4wd tractor. He hooked his cable to my drawbar at an angle. After he tightened the cable, I poured the coal to it and he was able to twist me out of the mud. Took me about 2 hours to shovel all the mud out of the tracks.
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