Long Hot Summer Part 4

What would a cabin home in northern Pennsylvania be without a pond?  And what better time to get one dug than when the equipment is already on site??? If only it were that easy!

After the spring/well/septic work was complete (see Part 3), since the excavator was already on site, we figured we'd get the pond dug.  It wouldn't be big. Perhaps 60'x90'.  Big enough for a few fish and swimming.  Maybe 8' deep.  

The location is in the middle of the property north of the house and directly in front of Eliza's rest, where someday, the one room cabin will go...

But before I get too far, a couple of before shots, this one looking west...

and this one looking north...

The land is quite dry now due to the drought, but in spring, prior to our cutting in some swales, this land was wet.  There are several springs in the bottom area and four which trickle down into the area before emptying into the culvert alongside the road.

The north side of the pond will feature a picnic area with table(s) chairs and a fire pit/barbecue area.  We're also planning to put in a dock before the pond fills. (It just seems logical to do it that way.)

And so the digging began. But what before my wondering eyes should appear?  Clay. Beautiful, perfectly suited blue clay...18" or more!  The perfect base for a pond.  Folks elsewhere, apparently buy this stuff, but here it is already in place.

And that presents a bit more of an issue for the smallish Kubota excavator. So...enter the Caterpillar D3 - The weight alone will help pack this clay down tight, not to mention how much more can be moved at one time. 

(It's at times like this that one can appreciate the drought.  There is not a lot of fun in having to shift spring water run off and battling rain while trying to dig a pond, but I digress). 

The pond is dug. The clay is well-packed. The standpipe for the overflow is in place (although this pic was taken before it was connected). 

One spring line feeds directly into it.  The other two springs are less active due to the drought, but they will eventually also supply the pond. And now the task is to simply spread some grass seed and wait...

Update: As of today(08/22), the grass seed has been spread, some habitat/structure has been placed for this fall's bluegill placement, and the pond is beginning to fill.  

And to cap it all off, as a testimony to God's abundant grace, we have had almost an inch of rain in the last 24 hours (hence the muddy appearance of the water). I estimate it will be 4-6 months to fill with the coming autumn rains and the winter snow.  So by next spring (for bass stocking) , and even more significantly, next summer for swimming, it should be all set.  The dock pilings have been dug and will be formed later this week.  The patio area, picnic table(s), and barbecue/fire pit will have to wait until next year.

I just keep telling myself, "It's a work in progress. It's a work in progress. It's a work in progress..."

Long Hot Summer Part 3

And so the work has largely been completed on the spring/well work.  Like so many projects it turned out to be a bit more than we initially anticipated.  But I get ahead of myself.

We managed to identify the springs to be managed (see pt 2) and set to run the lines.  It would be 505 feet.  By God's grace I found "Bruce" via facebook.  Bruce is a farmer (cattle) and experienced excavator.  Having done some of the initial excavation work in the area with Easton Gas (prior to its sale to Shell, he was very aware of what he was getting into.  He made quick work of the new trench that would connect the springs to the well.

All 505' of it...

One of the challenges was the reality that the fall from the spring to the wellhead was barely 10 feet so the sloping was a bit precarious.  But Bruce did it all by sight and the water flowed nicely...

Of course it's not just about the water line and the slope, the spring boxes were the more important piece of work. The first one, which would become the main feeder for the well was put in place with a dedicated connection to the spring line. 100% of the water from this middle spring should supply the house ample water. (A second spring is located near the standing plywood in the background of this photo)

This second spring box has a line which can be directed into the well line or which can be diverted to feed the pond we're putting down at the bottom of the hill.  In fact you can see overflow from the springbox running toward the (as yet undug) pond.  A two inch line will be put in to manage the overflow from this box

BUT...THEN...ALONG THE WAY...

we discovered the septic line!  Yep, cut right through it.  This was truly unvoidable since we had no idea where either it or the septic tank were.

 

But yep, there she was...And it was a godsend that this happened.  We quickly determined that an inferior grade plastic had been used, that there were blockages, and that (upon testing the water after completion of the project) it had been leaking and leeching into the well...The e. coli special!

So we engaged in digging yet another trench and laying new septic line. And of course this helped us find the septic tank (an old steel one but in good condition), which we then had pumped...  

And so the long hot, and now VERY dry (no rain in a month or more) summer continues...

Stay tuned for pond work in Part 4!