Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Or maybe I should say lack of progress due to unseasonal weather and
very heavy rain - almost 3" fell today with the max being 1" in an hour
- I would gladly send it to Galen, Jim/Phyllis or anyone else who wants
it. Heavy rain with only the odd respite has pretty much been the story
since I started on the pond......it has been a long, slow project....

Apart from the weather the first problem we hit was a very large block
of concrete running through the middle of the pond......we got a
pneumatic drill and broke it up only to find it was the soakaway to
remove rainwater from the house foundations (we had suspected it was
close but had thought it was further over). So we then had to repair the
drainage pipe - there will be a ridge down the middle of the pond around
18" under but I can live with that - good place to stick plants :-)

The pond at max depth will be 3 foot.....the shape and size of the pond
has developed with the project and the fact that the garden slopes
towards the house giving the choice of building up near the house and
sinking the other end or doing it the other way round but bringing the
pond up to the level of the decking. We have opted to bring it up to the
level of the deck but means that we have to find a way of fencing in the
deck to prevent stray visitors (party guests, toddlers, dog etc...) from
falling in. The little one has already fallen into the excavation work
but learnt her lesson pretty quickly.....the dog bounds in and out of it
having discovered it is fun to drop his toys into a deep hole and then
retrieve them....I forsee a great shock when it eventually gets filled
with water and one very soggy doggy....

I haven't measured the size or calculated the volume yet as I'm waiting
until we finally finish the digging and shaping but I'm guessing it is
already over 500 gall if not quite a bit more.....

Until the rain came in again overnight we had a couple of sunny days so
I made quite a bit of progress and have now started building up the
sides to level it off....parts almost look like a real pond now (well a
real pond shape at least). I reckon there is another day's work on
finalising the excavation and levelling off - however the problem is
when this work can take place - we have rain forecast through until at
least Tuesday next week and then the pond needs time to dry out/drain. I
was at the LFS the other day whinging about my efforts and the fact that
the pond was filling before I was getting a chance to get a liner in and
it is pretty much the same story with anyone locally.....

I've given up all idea of getting any fish in there this year - at best
I might get some plants and some frogs in there to overwinter....but at
least it will give me the opportunity to get the landscaping how I want
it rather than rushing it in my enthusiasm to get it established.....we
shall see though - you never know we might get a heatwave (vain hope
though I'm sure)

Gill

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Thanks for the update. We would gladly take your rain...although
Texas has been sharing for the last week or so. The acre pond is up
by nearly a foot! That is GREAT news for the fish that are in it. We
were sort of your situation in reverse: you had rain and no fish. We
had fish and no rain. Now maybe it will even out.

Pics? Could you post any?

Jim

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

In article .com,
Phyllis and Jim wrote:

Thanks for the update. We would gladly take your rain...although
Texas has been sharing for the last week or so. The acre pond is up
by nearly a foot! That is GREAT news for the fish that are in it. We
were sort of your situation in reverse: you had rain and no fish. We
had fish and no rain. Now maybe it will even out.

Is your pond too big to supplement the water by filling it from your
local water source or do you live a truly rural area (house fed from
well)?

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

No local sources around. I would have to bore a well.

It poured again yesterday. I am expecting it to be up within a foot
of full.

Jim

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Great PR Gill, sorry though it isn't coming along more quickly.

Jim, glad your pond is re-filling. Did you get my e-mail, btw?

Seems my guys got the lily pond filter in, got it running, and then
stopped, course the heat didn't help.

We had 2 wonderful days of coolish weather, and DS did go out and put dirt
around the barrels, removing a big pile we had in the flower bed. I was
glad to see that done. They still have to complete how the return water is
going to eventually go in, currently it is just coming straight out of the
1.5" pipe. They have some creative idea, so I'm waiting. ;-) Since my big
concern was just having it running, I'm happy to wait. The wakins have been
doing great, and today I put the 3 fantails in. 8 total, counting the black
moor from last year.

I also sold a large butterfly koi and a small butterfly koi, that was
acting buddy to one I had in quarantine the last 2 months. That one got
moved to the big pond, with the warning to stay away from the bottom drain.
It is kind of on the small size.

I then took 2 small baby goldfish from the stock tank and am trying them in
the front pots again. The ones I talked about earlier with the duckweed.
Someone suggested I should add air, Kurt, was that you? Just to clarify,
the first babies I put out there, there was little duckweed, so I don't
think that was the problem. I have no idea what happened to those fish. Now
that the duckweed is rampant, I figure the aeration was a very good idea.

The rest of the fantail goldies (actually more blackies than gold) in the
stock tank, got a salt dip and moved to the 55 gallon inside to keep the
filter active. I'm not sure what my current plans are for my tanks inside
since I'll be leaving the fish outside now for the winter. Though I may
rethink that as winter get closer. Two that I put out are very pretty veil
tails, and I might want to watch them over winter, rather than worry about
them in the pond where I can't see them. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Phyllis and Jim wrote:
Thanks for the update. We would gladly take your rain...although
Texas has been sharing for the last week or so. The acre pond is up
by nearly a foot! That is GREAT news for the fish that are in it. We
were sort of your situation in reverse: you had rain and no fish. We
had fish and no rain. Now maybe it will even out.

Well the whole of the Thames Valley is now on flood alert. They expect
the Thames to burst it banks here around Tuesday. Some other rivers have
already burst their banks and there has been some bad flooding locally -
one of the local out of town cinemas has turned into a large outdoor
swimming pool. We're lucky as we are quite high up - the road just turns
into a river as it gushes down towards the Thames from the hills -
there's been a bit of damage to the drains but that's it. The lower
parts of our little suburb might get flooded, including the area where
my brother lives if the Thames breaches as badly as they think that it
might. But we shall wait and see. More rain forecast daily, and another
heavy downpour on Thursday - it doesn't seem to get any better although
it was dry today.

Pics? Could you post any?

Jim

Still not much to see but I will as soon as there is - I'll probably
post them on TFA....

Gill

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Gill Passman wrote:

Well the whole of the Thames Valley is now on flood alert.

I was listening to a BBC radio reporter yesterday (reported by our Canadian
news anchor as being from "Wooster") who sounded so panicky we assumed the
water must be up to his chin.

It's been wetter than normal here in Nova Scotia this year, but not
catastrophically so. Whenever it's looked like flooding could be a
possibility, we get a few days of sun.
--
derek
- Unless otherwise noted, I speak for myself, not rec.ponds.moderated
moderators.

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Derek Broughton wrote:
Gill Passman wrote:


Well the whole of the Thames Valley is now on flood alert.


I was listening to a BBC radio reporter yesterday (reported by our Canadian
news anchor as being from "Wooster") who sounded so panicky we assumed the
water must be up to his chin.

Well, depending where he was located he could have actually been
treading water and it really should have been above his chin.....we
still don't know what is going to hit the town....but we are above the
flood plain so it won't get us.....but we have made contiguency plans
for family that do live down there.....



It's been wetter than normal here in Nova Scotia this year, but not
catastrophically so. Whenever it's looked like flooding could be a
possibility, we get a few days of sun.

We had brilliant sunshine today......but it is what has already fallen
coming down the river that is the problem when it comes off the
hills....heavy rain forecast for tomorrow - hey, ho

Gill

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Got home from a rained out vacation
(do I see a theme building here) last
night... haven't been able to see the
news so will watch tonight. When was
the last time the Thames floaded?

k :-)

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

k wrote:
Got home from a rained out vacation
(do I see a theme building here) last
night... haven't been able to see the
news so will watch tonight. When was
the last time the Thames floaded?

k :-)


The last bad flood here was 2003 although it has flooded elsewhere I
think. The worst flood was in 1947 which according to our local
council's website is a 60 cyclical flooding.....so I guess we are due
for it although you would have hoped that flood defenses would have
improved drastically in 60 years....

We're fine as we are on high ground but I have family that is not.....We
still don't know what is going to hit the town yet but hey, ho.....

Gill

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 16:24:44 CST, Gill Passman
wrote:

The last bad flood here was 2003 although it has flooded elsewhere I
think. The worst flood was in 1947 which according to our local
council's website is a 60 cyclical flooding.....so I guess we are due
for it although you would have hoped that flood defenses would have
improved drastically in 60 years....

We're fine as we are on high ground but I have family that is not.....We
still don't know what is going to hit the town yet but hey, ho.....
Gill

I keep watching for you on the news Gill. Keep us posted. Do you have room
if your family needs to move in? ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

~ jan wrote:



I keep watching for you on the news Gill. Keep us posted. Do you have room
if your family needs to move in? ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us


We should be able to accomodate them.....last night would have been a
squeeze but the boys are going on holiday with their Dad tonight which
gives me two spare rooms. My Mum also has space at her house if
necessary (she's on high ground as well).

They now expect the flood in the early hours of tomorrow morning - it's
a bit like "Waiting for Godot"....

I've already got their fish here in a small tank on the Conservatory
floor......

Gill

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Gill Passman wrote:

k wrote:
Got home from a rained out vacation
(do I see a theme building here) last
night... haven't been able to see the
news so will watch tonight. When was
the last time the Thames floaded?

k :-)


The last bad flood here was 2003 although it has flooded elsewhere I
think. The worst flood was in 1947 which according to our local
council's website is a 60 cyclical flooding.....so I guess we are due
for it although you would have hoped that flood defenses would have
improved drastically in 60 years....

You might, but the problem turns out to be that you _can't_ protect against
flooding. If you try to confine the water, it just ends up going higher
(and eroding the defenses).

The US Corps of Engineers got wise to this probably 20 years ago when there
was wide-spread flooding on the Mississippi. In the end, it's a whole lot
simpler (and safer for everybody) _not_ to try to prevent flooding, and to
just not let anybody build on the flood plain.
--
derek
- Unless otherwise noted, I speak for myself, not rec.ponds.moderated
moderators.

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

It was interesting to note that during the
disaster that was Katrina the French Quarter
and Garden District, old historical districts of
New Orleans had very little problems. The
original inhabitants were much smarter about
where to build than the ones who came after
them.

Been watching the flooding in England on
the news. Amazing pictures. Wondering if any
to those people belong to Gill. The new Prime
Minister really started his term with some
hefty challenges.

k :-)

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Derek Broughton wrote:
The US Corps of Engineers got wise to this probably 20 years ago when there
was wide-spread flooding on the Mississippi. In the end, it's a whole lot
simpler (and safer for everybody) _not_ to try to prevent flooding, and to
just not let anybody build on the flood plain.

You mean like "New Orleans"?

(actually, closer to my home, Houston is also a flood plain).


Sorry - it's a pet peeve of mine. I visited NO one time several years
ago. I thought then how dumb it was to build below the water line with
the M.River on one side, and Lake Ponchartrain on the other.

--

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Chris Barnes AOL IM: CNBarnes
Yahoo IM: chrisnbarnes
"Usenet really is all about standing around and hitting the ground
with clubs, on a spot where many years earlier a dead horse lay."

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

k wrote:
It was interesting to note that during the
disaster that was Katrina the French Quarter
and Garden District, old historical districts of
New Orleans had very little problems. The
original inhabitants were much smarter about
where to build than the ones who came after
them.

One other factor to take into account is that there isn't that much
building land in the UK and this is why they build on the flood plains.


Been watching the flooding in England on
the news. Amazing pictures. Wondering if any
to those people belong to Gill. The new Prime
Minister really started his term with some
hefty challenges.

k :-)


Well the floods haven't reached Berkshire yet - they are now talking
tomorrow morning. Me and the kids have been doing a bit of flood
spotting today - mainly in Henley. The river is certainly high and
flowing fast but has only breached it's banks in the usual places - it
has to be said it amused the kids no end to see park benches and rubbish
bins in the middle of the river. Lots of sandbags around the place in
both Henley and here. The good news is that they no longer think it will
be as bad as anticipated....

Gill

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

Chris Barnes wrote:

Derek Broughton wrote:
The US Corps of Engineers got wise to this probably 20 years ago when
there
was wide-spread flooding on the Mississippi. In the end, it's a whole
lot simpler (and safer for everybody) _not_ to try to prevent flooding,
and to just not let anybody build on the flood plain.

You mean like "New Orleans"?

(actually, closer to my home, Houston is also a flood plain).


Sorry - it's a pet peeve of mine. I visited NO one time several years
ago. I thought then how dumb it was to build below the water line with
the M.River on one side, and Lake Ponchartrain on the other.

Exactly like that - the Corps of Engineers has been carefully confining the
Mississippi and it's tributaries within concrete walls for decades. It
just means that all that water has nowhere to go but over the tops of the
levees - and it's way too late to stop people building on the flood plains.

Of course, on much of the Great Plains, building on a flood plain isn't
really an option. In the last big flood of the Red River in Manitoba, the
flood water was spreading 20 miles! But in that case the best option is
to build on stilts, or mounds, and let the water surround you every few
years.
--
derek
- Unless otherwise noted, I speak for myself, not rec.ponds.moderated
moderators.

Progress report on the pond construction 6 weeks on.....
 

I think, to a certain degree, before condemning people from building on
flood plains we also need to look at the historical perspective as to
why these communities built up in the first place....

Now, Reading, Berkshire grew because it was where the Thames and Kennet
rivers met.....then in the 17th/18th century this was further developed
by the Kennet Canal...then came the railways and Reading becoming a
major station/point on the Great Western line....then came the road
structure making Reading really well connected to London and the West
Country....and of course we cannot forget the airports and Heathrow is a
mere 25 min drive from Reading......

Then we look at the suburbs....built as small villages not connected to
the main town at all.....Caversham, where I live, was a small thriving
village that had boat building and eel farming as the core of its
economy (no longer I must add).....during the civil war Caversham and
Reading where at great odds and there where great battles regarding the
bridge over the Thames.....IIRC Caversham was Royalist and Reading was
already overrun by the Roundheads with the Abbey being destroyed by
Cromwell and his mates.....when eventually overrun the "Golden Chapel"
in Caversham was completely destroyed and it is all gone
forever.....some homes in Caversham still have "priest holes" where the
would hid the Catholic priests from persacution....

Anyway, despite the history lesson.....Reading as all big towns/cities
spread over the centuries and took over the little villages in its need
to grow....so homes on the flood plain that were sustainable because of
their sparseness became highly developed areas....and those by the river
side became playgrounds for the very rich (but these are on stilts with
mooring for their playtoy boats). The flood plain in this little, once a
village but now a sprawling conurbation/suburb was mainly social
housing....hey, let's stick the poor where they can get flooded (ironic
grin)......but this is not recent....the "workers" homes were all built
down in that part of Caversham....not the farm worker cottages we have
where I am higher out of the "village" but the Victorian Terraces so
this is not a recent thing.....

Hmmmm....but still the infrastructure has coped pretty well - afterall
most of these houses had gardens and quite often 100 foot gardens all
with nice soil to soak up the water.....AND THEN.....you get the push
for more housing and executive, "pretty", "designer" housing for those
people now working in a boom town.....and of course the only land
available is on the flood plain.....but these people don't want nice
little houses with gardens (afterall with the pressure of working life
they just want to go back to their low maintenance designer homes and
everything look pretty) - so the developers give them what the want -
designer flats with hard landscapes that prevent the water from being
able to drain into the water table.....and then of course there is the
fashionable trend to hard landscape drives and gardens for low
maintenance.....water doesn't go into the soil and water table it just
flows into the drains

So here we have it......housing designed to work against nature, housing
built on the flood plains because of demand for land and
space......Oh....and where in the world is the water going to go??????

I'm very happy to say that I have heard of at least one planning
application in Caversham that has been blocked because of the impact on
the flood plain and the fact that the plans do not allow anyway for
surface water to drain away......similar has happened to the West of
Reading where the flood plain is one of the town's major defenses....

Back on topic....the water table is now incredibly high.....the pond
excavation had been drying out in a morning with good sun.....it has
been dry all day today and the bottom of the deepest part is still very
boggy.......Don't think we can handle too much more rain this
year......I wonder what might happen in the true "rainy" season when we
normally get the floods.....

Gill (now stepping off soap box)