Big hole in my yard!!

[Glacier]

This is what the side of my property looked like before:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/Glacier1998/Scenery/a2c9ac22.jpg
We had a huge windstorm last October and lost tons of trees in that section of the yard. We lost over 200 trees on the property in that storm. We cut up whatever was useable--we heat with a woodstove.

Then this showed up in the yard a couple days ago:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/Glacier1998/scenery%2005/backhoe.jpg
And started digging!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/Glacier1998/scenery%2005/working.jpg
And digging....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/Glacier1998/scenery%2005/halfway.jpg
And digging!!!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/Glacier1998/scenery%2005/bighole.jpg
Til we ended up with something like this!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/Glacier1998/new%20camera%20dogs/playtime.jpg
The dogs think it's a great new play area! Actually it's going to be a pond. It's part of our plan to try and save this place when a forest fire comes though. This year the fire season has been fairly quiet, but we live in a forest and someday it's going to burn. It should hold close to 50,000 gallons of water so when the fire gets too close, we can turn on the sprinklers and extra pumps and get out. Now we have to line it and get the pumps set up.

[kittycats_delight]

Wow...what a great idea. Smart thinking. And in the meantime the dogs will play in their new sandbox and once you get the pond all done they will have a great swimming pool. :D

[finn's mom]

That's incredible that that's in your YARD! Your dogs look cool in the hole, how long will it take to complete, do you think? What a big undertaking, how exciting. Keep us posted, I'm curious how you even go about something like that!

[NoahsMommy]

OK....ANOTHER reason I'm jealous of where you live! ;)

That is soooo cool! Will you take pictures of the progress? I have no idea how they make a functional pond and I'd LOVE to see it.

Will it have fish and wildlife in it???

[Freckles]

Will there be enough snow fall this winter to fill it with water?

[catnapper]

Wow, now thats what I call a hole!!! Sounds like a sound plan, good luck getting everything set up -- and I hope you never need to actually utilize the plan.

[Palomino21]

Hey thats a wonderful idea. Can you sell the dirt that is being dug out. I know here in Oklahoma dirt sells good.

My uncle is going to build a house and half of it is going to be underground and he's selling the dirt he digs from it.

[k9krazee]

Wow!! Looks like a great play area for the dogs! Can't wait to see it all finished!

[Glacier]

Originally posted by Palomino21
Hey thats a wonderful idea. Can you sell the dirt that is being dug out. I know here in Oklahoma dirt sells good.

My uncle is going to build a house and half of it is going to be underground and he's selling the dirt he digs from it.

If it was decent dirt we could & make some good money too! Black soil is pricey around here! But our area is all clay and sand so it's worthless, except to the huskies--clay is easy to dig, doesn't break their nails!:rolleyes:

[Glacier]

Originally posted by Freckles
Will there be enough snow fall this winter to fill it with water?

Nope, once we get the liner in we are going to fill it with water. My hubby owns a water delivery truck so he will just truck in the water.


Will it have fish and wildlife in it???

Stuart wants to try to stock it with trout, but it might not work. It will likely freeze solid in the winter so the fish wouldn't survive. I'd like to put some water plants in. They had some beautiful ones at the local greenhouses recently.

[Glacier]

Originally posted by finn's mom
That's incredible that that's in your YARD! Your dogs look cool in the hole, how long will it take to complete, do you think? What a big undertaking, how exciting. Keep us posted, I'm curious how you even go about something like that!

We are hoping to have it all done by September. Putting in the liner will be the biggest step now. We have the plastic to do it with, just have to get it all in there and set out properly.

[gemini9961]

I can't wait to see the after pics of your pond. I would love to come up to your neck of the woods.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Glacier

My hubby owns a water delivery truck so
he will just truck in the water.

It will likely freeze solid in the winter so the fish wouldn't survive.

Ask Stuart ~

Does he know what a Fire Department "Dry Hydrant" is ??

If the pond will freeze full depth in the winter;
a "Dry Hydrant" would only be usable in the Spring/Summer/Fall -
but having your own water supply AND a "Hydrant" for the FD to
hook a Pumper up to (to Draft water from the pond) might make a
Big difference if you had a fire on the property!

Look at this site for a Good Discussion of a "Dry Hydrant" >>>

Virginia Dept of Forestry - Dry Hydrant (http://www.dof.virginia.gov/fire/dry-hydrants.shtml)

NOW is the time to install one - *BEFORE* the pond fills up!!

If you use the "normal" 6" PVC pipe and fittings; a "typical"
Hydrant, including the 5" or 6" Brass Pumper steamer adaptor,
costs about $500 in materials.

And if ALL of the pond won't freeze - there are ways to keep
the exposed pipe and fittings from freezing up -
so it might be usable year-round!

Give the idea some *serious* thought!

/s/ Fireman Phred ;)

[anna_66]

WOW! That's one BIG hole! But those dogs of yours sure look like they're having fun in it:D

Can't wait to see how this comes along! Keep us posted.