New Hampshire Underground

New Hampshire Underground => Underground Projects => Self-sufficiency => Topic started by: Russell Kanning on August 15, 2011, 07:03 PM NHFT

Title: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Russell Kanning on August 15, 2011, 07:03 PM NHFT
This is not so much an "Underground project", but rather into the ground project. Farm ponds of every variety are very popular around here, since it rains quite a bit (36" in Dallas), but has dry periods. It is a very hot and very dry summer this year and I have seen some people take advantage and dig out their dry ponds to expand them. This is one of the things that inspired us to start digging in our back 40 (or rather back 2). The other was to have collect some water for dry times and for our ducks to play in.

Below you can see our progress so far.
We have not quite completed the removal of the first layer (6" to 10") and we have ventured down another 18" in the center. The hole is 28'x24' right now. It is black dirt that is full of hard clay right now. The good news is that this sort of soil really holds the water ... when we get it. The next layer is a little more brown and softer. No big rocks yet, just limestone stuph that the shovel just kinda breaks. We dig a little in the morning before it gets 100 and at night as the sun goes down. The temperature doesn't get below 80 much this summer.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Kat Kanning on August 15, 2011, 07:12 PM NHFT
My oh my, do we ever have clay!
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Jim Johnson on August 15, 2011, 07:38 PM NHFT
Needs more crayfish.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: KBCraig on August 15, 2011, 10:47 PM NHFT
I thought you had to call it a "tank" in that part of Texas.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Kat Kanning on August 16, 2011, 06:00 AM NHFT
We didn't know.  :o
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Russell Kanning on August 16, 2011, 06:08 AM NHFT
I wonder what all will want to grow in it later.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Sheep Fuzzy Wool on August 17, 2011, 07:23 AM NHFT
Wow. I had know idea you two were in Texas? 
Texas is a nice place.
So much for me reading the whole lot of threads.  :blush:
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: littlehawk on August 17, 2011, 08:40 AM NHFT
Very nice! I eat duck eggs, very tastey. Build them coops to lay in. otherwise they drop them in the water.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Lloyd Danforth on August 17, 2011, 11:06 AM NHFT
I keep thinking of that sad, kinda dry pond at Ed & Elaine's.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Kat Kanning on August 17, 2011, 12:27 PM NHFT
 :(
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Lloyd Danforth on August 17, 2011, 01:32 PM NHFT
I only pointed that out because, it looked as though they were depending on Ground table water to keep it as a pond, and it wasn't working.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Tom Sawyer on August 17, 2011, 02:22 PM NHFT
Quack!
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Russell Kanning on August 17, 2011, 03:32 PM NHFT
Quote from: Lloyd Danforth on August 17, 2011, 01:32 PM NHFT
I only pointed that out because, it looked as though they were depending on Ground table water to keep it as a pond, and it wasn't working.
and it always disturbed me that it was above their house .... maybe it was to wash feds off the front step.

If we get no runoff then we will have to dig really deep during dry times like now. That was part of the reason to dig now even though it is hot. I am surprised those with dry ponds are not digging now while the have a chance

The ducks have a coop but we let them out to eat stuph. With the chickens, I love turning grasshoppers and plants into eggs each day. :)
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Lloyd Danforth on August 17, 2011, 07:23 PM NHFT
I could send your ducks a picture of Kilton pond.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Kat Kanning on August 17, 2011, 10:19 PM NHFT
There's an awful lot of these "tanks" round here.  Almost none of them have streams flowing into them.  Water seems to show up form somewhere :)
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Lloyd Danforth on August 17, 2011, 10:23 PM NHFT
Cool!
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Russell Kanning on August 30, 2011, 09:12 PM NHFT
It is fun to watch the ground open up like this.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Tom Sawyer on August 30, 2011, 09:42 PM NHFT
Nice progress... I didn't think about the fact you would use the excavated soil to build the bank. Of course that makes perfect sense.   8)
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Russell Kanning on September 02, 2011, 05:24 PM NHFT
the only bad thing there is that we can't let the water back up much, so much of the bank will not be used.
it is official ... the hottest summer evah
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: KBCraig on September 02, 2011, 06:05 PM NHFT
Quote from: Russell Kanning on September 02, 2011, 05:24 PM NHFT
it is official ... the hottest summer evah
Hottest, and driest. Average temp of 89.5 F beats the 1936 record by a full degree. From June 1 to August 31 we had 1.86 inches of rain, which broke the record from 1896.
Title: Re: Our Duck Pond in Texas project
Post by: Kat Kanning on September 02, 2011, 09:40 PM NHFT
*sigh*