Got ya thinking dirty didn't I. :)
Heres what we did this weekend.
This is the small creek behind our camper up at the property.
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_dam001.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/dam001.jpg)
As you can see the water is only a inch or two deep.
After a few tons of dirt and rock dug by hand and roughly 60 sand bags filled with earth.
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_dam026.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/dam026.jpg)
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_dam025.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/dam025.jpg)
When we left it still wasn't finished or full.
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_dam062.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/dam062.jpg)
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_dam069.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/dam069.jpg)
As you can see we arn't very good dam builders. Quite a bit of water is going under and through the dam.
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_dam027.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/dam027.jpg)
I would guesstimate we have about a 2000 gallon resivor now. Still lots to do and I need to pick up some benninite to help seal the leaks.
I think Nickole and I moved 4+ tons of dirt and another 2-3 tons of rock so far. I am so worn out I didn't even go to work today. [frus]
Larry
I bet you are worn out... what a workout. It looks pretty cool though... whew.
I made a dam yesterday too. A small spring near a mining area. Cleared about 1/2 mile of road - backed the Bobcat up the gulch as far as possible through grape vines so big an 11000 lb Bobcat under power couldn't break them. That was Saturday. Sunday I went back and dug the spring out and made a earth dam - well see what happens there this week.
Try black pond plastic from the large "orange" store (HomeDepot) Place it on the up stream side of your dam and place a few more sand bags on the inside to hold it down, This will help with the leak through.
Place a small log or two on the upstream side a few yards up. The water will wash over and dig out a basin and the resulting sand will help hold your dam in place also. Your Idea is great.
I couldn't tell from the pics. Did you put a pipe in at the base of the dam or will the water run over the top? If it goes over the top the dam won't last long.
Bigkid you know how a beaver feels now. ;)
Looks good Larry!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Everybody, c*
Boy napped all day and still dragging butt. ???
Glenn,
I can't even imagine vines stopping a big bobcat. What size was that don't think I have ever run one that big. Must be a monater.
Gandolf,
Good tip about the plastic. Just trying to keep it looking natural as I can. I figure if it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb noone will complain.
ScottA,
I do want the water to run over the top. Didn't think of placing a pipe untill after the fact. I may go back and add a pipe near the top. but I would like to have the water running over the top so the water doesn't grow algee or ............
John,
If a beaver is this worn out I don't know how they get anything done. Cause I'm pooped.
Homegrown & Peter,
Thanks.
Please try and keep in mind this is a trial run to see just what it takes to do something like this by hand. If it works out I may try again farther back up the creek for a little hydro power. Or if I get ambitious I may try the big creek. I, we did this for the learning experiance much as anything.
Thanks for all the great comments.
Larry
Larry, my Bobcat is a 963 -- 11000 lbs -- 105 HP Turbocharged. These vines are gigantic -- like a Tarzan jungle there. Getting some of the vines etc out of the spring seemed to help -- I packed it pretty good with clay but was having problems with the Bobcat injector pump so had to stop before it was real great.
I can understand you being worn out -- I was beat and I had a machine.
I haven't had my camera up there but maybe in the next day or two I'll take pix. I went up there tonight and the dam has about 1000 gallons or so of water behind it.
After checking that out the dogs and I hiked to the top of the mountain in the dark mostly in search of an old mine straight up rock cliffs through the brush and poison oak.
I had an LED headlight and flashlight, Ryobi 18v chainsaw with a LIon battery and a machete. I had sharpened it super sharp and only cut my self once with it. d* We were back the the jeep by 10 pm.
Glenn,
I can't wait to see the pics.
Larry
I took the Jeep up there today for pix.
Over 2000 gallons in the dam now -- need a drain soon and something bigger before winter.
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/P1010239.jpg)
Here's a bit of the jungle I backed the Bobcat through.
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/P1010243.jpg)
I didn't have pix of the best day - but here is the left side as far as I could go up the hill backwards - I had to fight for all I could get to make room to turn the bobcat around and dig the small pond as well as clean out the spring a bit as the gulch was originally only as wide as the bobcat at the bottom.
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/P1010241.jpg)
Here is one of the vines -- I would guess a hundred feet or more long -- I finally broke it.
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/P1010231.jpg)
...and the big one. d*
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/P1010232.jpg)
Glenn,
Yep monster vines. Nice pics too. I have never seen vines that big. [shocked] Didn't know they grew that large.
Thanks for sharing.
Larry
I have three springs that come down areas like yours Glenn. I've pretty well got my water supplies covered but have been thinking about digging smallish pools for fish. I remember some bass ponds that were barely 12 feet across and only 4 feet deep where I caught 3 and 4 pound bass.
The spring areas seem perfect for some fish ranching.
Those are wild grape vines-- the kind the bears like to fill up on the grapes of. Harry said half the mountain was moving as I was stuck on them and trying to tear them out -- all over to the right - a hundred feet or more.
That sounds interesting, Peter. I'll see how it goes and possibly enlarge it and stock it. It's on a very good friends place so it could work out. I can easily get my John Deere 2010 trackhoe in there and will likely have it in there for sampling anyway.
Hi All,
GOing to go up tomorrow and see if our dam made it through the storms we have had this week. I may even try and get some bennonite (sp) to seal up the leaks. Nickole said she would gather up some more rocks to beef up the back side some more. Sure would be neat to show up and find a pond full of water. :D I'll try and get some new pictures too.
Thanks Larry
I used natural clay here except the sides I couldn't pack - ran out of time -- Right now the pond is just staying full a few inches below the rim -- maybe 2400 gallons. I could expand that with the backhoe if needed later for anything.
Waiting for your pix, Larry.
Larry I was wondering about your dam as the news said the majority of the storms last night passed through your area. If it is still there I would say it is invisible. :D
Glenn, John,
We will find out here in a few hours. Wont be back until late sunday. If they had rain there like we got here at home I would have to agree it will last a while. Going up this AM and trying to get an address. We seldom get up during the week so this gives us a chance to get into the county ofices and get this done or at least see whats needed to get an address.
Talk to you all when we get back.
Larry
Hi Guys,
I have to report that our dam didn't stand up to 3" of rain in one night. [frus] Its really not that bad though. Here are a few pics. In the last one you can see one of the sand bags over 100 feet from the dam.
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_trailtocouchescreek004.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/trailtocouchescreek004.jpg)
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_trailtocouchescreek005.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/trailtocouchescreek005.jpg)
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_trailtocouchescreek007.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/trailtocouchescreek007.jpg)
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_trailtocouchescreek008.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/trailtocouchescreek008.jpg)
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_trailtocouchescreek009.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/trailtocouchescreek009.jpg)
You can see it was still holding a lot of water back.
(https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/th_trailtocouchescreek006.jpg) (https://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/biggkidds/trailtocouchescreek006.jpg)
We only lost a bit of the top two rows of bags so all in all it did ok I think. Once the water goes down and we have time we will build it back stronger. I did do a quick repair and got the water back up a little higher.
Thanks
Larry
We got into the dam thing a bit more this weekend. Sassy and I took the Backhoe and Bushhog down to the spring at the bottom of our property to see what we could do there. We made a secondary pond below the small one I made a couple years ago. It will catch storm runoff besides spring overflow. I doubt it will get much of anything until fall though.
It doesn't look too bad Larry. I lost you on the phone in mid word so I assumed you just lost signal.
Our place was WET. Man, that must have been a rain. We did get a few sections of fence in but I need to rebuild the bridge...again. This time I'm building a water stop and making the bridge higher so the water goes in the creek before it gets to the bridge.
If your dam stood up to that storm, it's built well.
Lock and Dam 15 at the Quad Cities http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/MVRCams/RiverCam.asp (http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/MVRCams/RiverCam.asp) .
Spent the last couple of days there working on the signals for the trains.
The railroad bridge is 110 years old.
The view is best between 6a and 6p central.
Looks cool at night too.
Hey, didn't mean to steal your dam site, carry on. d*
It's Larry's dam thread.
I posted a bit of my dam information too, but it was his dam idea.
I liked your dam picture too, Sparks. I just kind of assummed this would be a thread we could all share our dam information on so Larry wouldn't dam all by himself-- well him and Nickole.
Oh crap. Dammit, messed up. Dam.
Uhhh , the little woman just woke up da.............it. Outahere...bye
Its a dam good thing I don't drink coffee or it would be all over the dam keyboard and the dam moniter. You guys are .................................................... bout fell outa my chair laughing.
Larry
Quote from: peternap on May 12, 2008, 05:20:51 PM
It doesn't look too bad Larry. I lost you on the phone in mid word so I assumed you just lost signal.
Our place was WET. Man, that must have been a rain. We did get a few sections of fence in but I need to rebuild the bridge...again. This time I'm building a water stop and making the bridge higher so the water goes in the creek before it gets to the bridge.
If your dam stood up to that storm, it's built well.
Peter,
I'm not sure how I missed your post here. But I did. So you braved the mud and got some done thats good. Wish I had known we almost came to visit but weren't sure if you went up. I saw on another post that you had bought some more land congrats...
Back to the dam I guess it did ok. When the water drops we will re bu ild it stronger. I doubt much needs to be done as it stood up pretty well I think it would have been fine if we had gotten more rock up against the back side.
Have a good day
Larry
Yep....I also ran over my dam Nikon with the dam tractor. :-[
Dam Peter
Thats a dam shame
Larry
If you want to read about a very sad week......
http://www.chasingame.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8231&sid=4b4ee673190523bf6595624c2303be03
Quote from: peternap on May 13, 2008, 05:27:15 PM
If you want to read about a very sad week......
Dam!!
Peter nap
Dam and double dam!!!
Larry
Peter it is a dam shame that everything has to happen at once. But look on the bright side. Your still on the right side of the grass.
Do like me Peter -- although sometimes I forget, I won't put anything where it will get destroyed or damaged if I forget it, because I know I will forget it.
Worst is the drip water hose on the planter -- manual drip and no matter what I do I cannot remember to turn it off if I turn it on. I had to quit using it.
Quote from: glenn kangiser on May 13, 2008, 09:29:16 PM
Do like me Peter -- although sometimes I forget, I won't put anything where it will get destroyed or damaged if I forget it, because I know I will forget it.
Worst is the drip water hose on the planter -- manual drip and no matter what I do I cannot remember to turn it off if I turn it on. I had to quit using it.
Thats how I killed off all our coy. I was topping up the water in the pond with the garden hose and forgot to cut it off. Left it over night and when I went back the next day they were all dead. Some of them were long as my hand. >:(
Larry
What did the fish say when he hit a concrete wall?
"Dam."
Quote from: BiggKidd on May 14, 2008, 09:23:14 AM
Quote from: glenn kangiser on May 13, 2008, 09:29:16 PM
Do like me Peter -- although sometimes I forget, I won't put anything where it will get destroyed or damaged if I forget it, because I know I will forget it.
Worst is the drip water hose on the planter -- manual drip and no matter what I do I cannot remember to turn it off if I turn it on. I had to quit using it.
Thats how I killed off all our coy. I was topping up the water in the pond with the garden hose and forgot to cut it off. Left it over night and when I went back the next day they were all dead. Some of them were long as my hand. >:(
Larry
Did they swim out - or city water with chlorine?
Glenn,
Chlorine was the killer that or the drop from near 90* water to 60* or so that comes out of the tap here.
Larry
Hey Peter, you're right. That is a short turkey. Kinda black too.
Let's see -- it kills healthy fish but chlorine is good for people. hmm
http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2000/articles/2000-v15n02-p089.shtml
While we're at it lets throw fluoride in there to study too.
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/fluoride.htm
Yes -- you do not want it in your or your kids toothpaste.
It's wierd but my cat will not drink water from the faucet. He has to have rainwater. He will go out of his way to drink from an old dirty puddle before he will drink water we put out for him.
Smart cat -- you may want to try spring water or something then if that works you may want to follow his example.
Quote from: glenn kangiser on May 14, 2008, 07:04:47 PM
Let's see -- it kills healthy fish but chlorine is good for people. hmm
http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2000/articles/2000-v15n02-p089.shtml
While we're at it lets throw fluoride in there to study too.
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/fluoride.htm
Yes -- you do not want it in your or your kids toothpaste.
Dam Glenn,
That falls in the catigory of things I never knew and wish weren't true. I have been using city water since I was 17 now 36. YUK
Larry
Put it in the category of one of those things you may not die immediately from but never know how much dam-age it's doing.
Some things can be seen such as tooth blotches from the fluoride, giant external growths - tumors etc....other than that -- who's worried about it. hmm
Those were just two articles in general from the net to get you started -- you can carry on from there- I didn't fully read them -- first on was m pretty good as I skimmed it though. I have read quite a bit of it before and know it's not especially for me.