Pond Dam Construction: Finalizing the Last Section with Excavators and Dozers

Pond Dam Construction Progress

• ☀️ The day starts with favorable weather, a nice breeze but no rain, ideal for continuing the pond dam construction.
• 🎯 The primary goal is to set up the laser to check and ensure the last section of the dam is at the correct grade.
• 🚧 Dirt is being moved to the back edge of the dam, and the dozer's grade pole will be used to blade off the top, cutting it to the required grade.

Excavation and Material Management

• ⛏️ The speaker plans to dig out the final loads of dirt and waste them on the back edge, then blade the top of the dam.
• 💧 A section of the pond is noted to be dry, even though it's below the pond's intended water level, indicating the material's water-holding capacity.
• 🐟 Care is taken to avoid disturbing existing fish in dry sections to prevent them from dying.

Grading and Water Level Checks

• 📏 Laser levels and grade poles are used to check the water level and the top of the dam, aiming for a specific height with adequate freeboard.
• ⚠️ Minor adjustments are made for sections that are slightly low or high, using available dirt to correct them.
• ✅ The speaker expresses satisfaction with the accuracy of the grading, noting that it was achieved largely by eyeballing without the laser initially.

Heavy Equipment Operations

• 🚚 Multiple loads of dirt are moved to fill the toe of the slope and stockpile at the end of the pond dam.
• 🚜 The D7 dozer is utilized for pushing dirt and grading the top of the dam, making the process faster.
• 🚧 A core trench is being cut in the new section of the dam, ensuring a good seam down to red clay.

Fish Habitat and Site Cleanup

• 🐠 Old culvert pipes are being repurposed as fish habitat, placed in the pond edge.
• 🪨 Some rocks and concrete pieces are also being considered for anchoring the pipes and potentially for other uses around the site.
• 🧹 The plan includes spreading topsoil, fine grading, and cleaning up burn piles and other debris in the coming week.

Project Outlook and Assistance

• 🤝 Kyle is scheduled to help the next day, which is expected to significantly speed up progress on the remaining sections.
• 🗓️ Robert is expected back the following week, and there's anticipation of a new piece of equipment.
• 🚧 The project is nearing completion, with about 200 feet left, estimated to take another full day of work.

Equipment and Material Notes

• ⚙️ The speaker notes having operated every machine on site that day, including the excavator and dozer.
• 📏 The pond dam is noted to be approximately a quarter-mile long, one of the longest constructed.
• 🚛 A request is made to help find a specific truck model (A30D or G off-road truck) for a contact.
• ⚠️ The pond was made 10-15 feet wider in one section due to concerns about having enough dirt, indicating adaptive planning.
• 📊 Daily progress is tracked by counting scoops, with every eight scoops equaling one truckload, to estimate yardage moved.