# digging a pond



## MuddyMike (Jan 8, 2007)

anyone out there ever excavate a pond? I am working on one right now. Still in the beginning stages testholes etc. Clay soil is present in the proposed pond site which is a very moist area but i will say this type of digging really gets the machines dirty in the tracks lol


----------



## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

Mud,

More information on the pond construction would help us tell you about the ways to excavate. 

What equipment do you own?
How big?
How deep?
Where's the material going?
Pumping?
Anything else about the site, soil or situation?


----------



## ELW1 (Jan 11, 2007)

eric (one of our guys) finished up one w/ 8000 yds of clay in the base of the dam about a week ago. pretty neat project. we have one coming up w/ about 14000 yds in the dam here in the next couple weeks. its been hell to find clay on the property (approx 100 acres) being that a lot of it is wooded. the geotechnical engineer found a good bit (tests haven't been completed yet) so hopefully it'll be enough for the enitre project. 

good luck on your project muddymike


----------



## MuddyMike (Jan 8, 2007)

wow thats awesome...We are in phase 1 right now of hopefully many more phases...testing to see if the water will hold with the clay base soil(we will know in a few weeks but it is def. getting harder by the day) In the end the homeowner would like to see a pond about the size of a football field or so and possilby piping another pond inline with it. I will say though it isnt any fun trying to clean that soil out of the machines lol. If all goes well i will post pics upon completion of the project


----------



## MuddyMike (Jan 8, 2007)

denick said:


> Mud,
> 
> More information on the pond construction would help us tell you about the ways to excavate.
> 
> ...


We own a Cat304CR with high cap. bucket(we will use this machine for birms and trenching, such things like that

-as far as the depth we will see what that is depending upon the clay soil in the next few weeks
-no pumping discussed yet (second pond isnt a necesity)


----------



## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

with a 304 cat, you're very limited to digging depth/reach, right? a smaller machine if i'm not mistaken? will that size of a machine be able to throw the dirt far enough away? will you need a loader or trucks there to haul it away? you may want to look at a rental on a larger hoe?


----------



## MuddyMike (Jan 8, 2007)

it is a smaller machine for sure but not a mini IMO. I would def rent a larger machine for the land clearing that would be need but i could use my 304 cr's Blade and high capacity bucket do do most digging but not all. So basically it would just be another machine that i have with me at all times. We have used The 304cr for such things like large inground pools, trenches and sizable land clearing. The machine is quite versatile as far as transportation is concerned, buti will be renting another machine for the large foundations in the near future


----------



## Bob Kovacs (May 4, 2005)

You want to dig a pond the size of a football field using a small excavator? I hope you've got a lot of time, because every foot of depth is going to generate over 1,000 CY of soil...........

Bob


----------



## ELW1 (Jan 11, 2007)

you may consider renting a machine.............


----------

