So when I get the dozer finished I wanted to start planning on my pond. I need to dig a one to one and a half acre pond and need ballpark guesses to how long it would take me doing 8 hour days on a case 350B. I also have a 580 backhoe, case skidsteer, and a dump truck. My dad will probably help too. The soil is like clay. thanks for any advice.
There are a lot of factors involved here. You need to cut in a key way down to solid clay or rock. How long is the dam going to be? A good place to start is your local NRCS , they should be able to point you in the right direction. A complete guess , with the backhoe loading clay to build with , pushing it around with the dozer , 250 hours give or take. It usually took us 100 hrs with a D6H. Start to finish and there were about 3000 to 3500 yards of dirt to place. You can do it with what you have , time and patience.
How deep are you planning? An acre pond on top and 5' deep is going to be over 7000 yds³. Additionally, each foot after that will be another 1000 yds³/foot. I've never used a track loader, but I'm guessing if you can move a few hundred yds per day, you're looking at what Dickjr said, probably at least a few weeks. Better plan on a month.
I am figuring a square pond with 3:1 slopes.
A lot of times here , there is a valley or holler , we strip the vegetation and topsoil , cut in a key way then start lifting the dam. The lift starts on the left toward center then far right toward center. We leave the center open unitl we have the majority of the dam built in case of a rain. When each side is built up to grade we will push up a pile of clay then start filling the center. That's how we get away with 3000 yards or so. The valley's here will loose 15 to 25 feet of grade in a 100 to 200 feet. Its interesting what others have to do in other areas to build a pond.
If you're digging a hole in flat ground, that's going to be a lot of digging, especially if you're hauling the cut dirt away. One step better in terms of dirt moved over a distance is using the spoils to build a dam around the hole, but that ensures you won't have drainage feeding the lake (sounds like the making of a mud hole). The best approach is damming a natural depression that already receives drainage. Less dirt moved for more acre/feet of water.
Down here you need a permit, to build and they have inspectors that can have the dam breached if not built correct, good luck, sam.
well trying to dig a pond of that size with a dozer of that size is kinda like unloading triaxle dumps with a teaspoon. Yes, there is a finite number of scoops in the truck but it might as well be infinite. You really need to be in the 20 ton class of machine rather than the 5 ton class.
Agree Dickjr. Give the guys at the NRCS office a shout . I think your rite on the money at 250 hrs. Local contractor used to take on projects of that size with a John Deere 450 c dozer and 350 track loader with rear backhoe . It would take him 4 to 5 weeks to complete something like a one acre pond with a large dam . Guy done a great job at it . Fordman , How is the lay of the land where you want to build ? If you do want to contact NRCS looks like the Parke county office takes care of your area . http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/in/home/ http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/in/contact/local/#Parke http://extension.psu.edu/natural-re...ement/pond-construction/construction.pdf/view Good luck on the pond project .