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digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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Posted by
nearzealot z5IN (
My Page) on
Sun, May 27, 12 at 22:39
| Hey Everyone,
I hope maybe someone has some experience with my dilemma that they can share. I have had a little pond (about 5x7, 13-20inches deep) for about 8 years. Have some goldfish that shouldn't survive but do. They are awesome! Pond sprung a leak and we had to put them in my other pond. They don't like it much, and we were going to have to patch or replace the liner. We chose to replace it, and make it deeper. Today we dug and dug. The front yard where the pond is used to be the septic field, and there are the big plastic corrugated pipes under the ground level at about a foot and a half. We cut one out when we first built the pond and it was fine. Today we dug deeper and hit gravel, and lots of it. I really don't know much about how a septic system is constructed but I guess they use gravel at some level. It caused the shelf I made to collapse. I patched it with wet clay, but it broke off again. I removed a lot of gravel, and shored up what was left of the shelf with pavers, rocks and clay. Anybody got any other ideas? I am leaving it alone overnight, and letting the bottom dry out a bit--it was soupy clay when I finished leveling it out. Should I do more to keep the sides from collapsing? Quik-crete or something like that?
Many thanks in advance for help! I didn't take pics of the gravel, just of us digging and the completed hole. I can post them if it'll help.
-Jo |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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RE: digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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| Thanks for your response, waterbug guy, and your brevity! Pond bottom still looks wet this morning, but my repairs are not collapsed and that is good news. I don't think any new water seeped in overnight. Any warnings about going ahead with the liner even tho the bottom is muddy? Seems like it will dry up on its own, with or without my liner. Thanks for your help, all. -Jo |
RE: digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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| That gravel extends pretty far. It is there to create drainage so water will spread out. Depending on the original perc tests and how heavily the system was used the loose gravel could be very deep. You need to isolate the area under and around the liner so you won't get a lot of moving water under it. The concrete blocks would probably work. |
RE: digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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| The gravel is placed in a trench that is usually fairly linear and then doubles back and forth several times to give the needed length. These tranches are only a couple of feet wide and usually around a foot or two below grade or so. The space between tranches is wider than the trench. |
RE: digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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| Thanks, sleepless and chas. It helped a lot to know where the gravel was and why. I ended up digging out a LOT of gravel (crushed stone they call it around here), and stuffing the clay back in the hole(s), and shoring it up with pavers and rocks. I think I supported it pretty well. If it collapses, it just does, and we will deal with that, too. Very sadly! For now, it is looking pretty good. I hope my goldfish survive for a little longer in the small trough pond. I don't think they are very happy in there. I tried hard to make em a great new house! Thanks everyone! -Jo |
RE: digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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| Chas,(love the name, my grandfather used it as a substitute for Charles)the shape of the drainage field can change drastically due to the topography of the land and the composition of the soil. The leach field at our last house was almost 50 feet from the house and downhill at least 15 ft. The gravel bed was 60 feet long, 12 feet wide, 2.5 feet of gravel depth with 18 inches of clay on top. It worked very well, needing cleaned only twice in twenty years and then it was because we got nervous. |
RE: digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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| Thanks sleepless. Yes, its Charles here too and I loved using it after I learned it was short for Charles (so cool); until the forth grade, when spaz became the popular derogatory word of the year (coolness factor zero)! Its nice to know about that kind of leach field. It is new to me. Thanks. Just a big sump. I was aware of the 18" expected cover, but I have observed that things don't always end up to code |
RE: digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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| Quikrite, may help - just pour it into the gravel and form a good solid layer and it will usually form a pretty good base. Even with whast ou have alredy installed, the quickrite or just a concrete sand mix will normally get you to a good base - better to take the high road now and not have problems after the pond is installed - even if you have to put down a poured base via quickrtie bags or concrete mixer The concete block will hold well if on a good base - good base is the key. Lime can also be used to help in soil stability |
RE: digging pond deeper, ran into gravel
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| You can use panelling or plywood to rebuild you ledge. The wood acts as a form. Fill behind the wood a few inches then fill the pond with water a few inches. Repeat until complete. If the area around the pond has good drainage I would feel secure up to about 3 feet deep. After that I would be looking to raise the pond a few inches above the yard with a dirt berm. |
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