# Muck Removal / Dredge Options



## RiparianRanger

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## Fishingislife

Where is your location?


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## RiparianRanger

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## bountyhunter

I,D like to know more too, 2ac pond avg dep 7ft, louisville ohio easy in and a around pond, and a place to pump it.


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## Salmonid

possibly lowering the pond a bit or completely by pump then let it dry over winter and then bulldoze or have a back hoe start working on it, I think may be your best bet, as long as you have a place to put it, shouldn't be too expensive and a local guy would cut you a deal to have some winter work where he could work at his own schedule, just a thought... how about some pics??
also check out pondboss.com forums, VERY knowledgeable and helpful folks on there 

Salmonid


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## RiparianRanger

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## searlest

I also am very interested in the muck sucker process I have a two @ pond in NorthEast Indiana that needs cleaned out 

Lets keep this thread going I really need the Knowledge !


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## PapawSmith

The muck sucking method is interesting, curious what the company would charge for a pond your size. I had a very similar situation several years ago where I purchased a property that had an half acre pond that was heavily wooded on three sides and had, over the years, become full of sediment to the point it was only about 4' deep and supported only bullheads, frogs, and turtles. Like Salmonid recommended earlier, I fully drained my pond and let it totally dry for a year. I then rented a dozer and re-dug the entire pond and I was amazed at how much sediment was removed before I got down to solid clay. The sediment made excellent top soil for a section of one of my fields and the pond turned out perfect, I even enlarged it a bit and put in a mild slope area for a nice beach. When I re-dug it I hit a couple springs and it refilled quickly so the following spring I was able to restock it, and within a year it had re-emerged as a very nice ecosystem. 

The dozer cost me about $900 for three days, white sand for the beach was about $1000, and the rest was just my time. Could have re-dug it quicker but I had not had a lot of experience on a dozer, it had been years since I last had my butt in one, and I did so much damage with it in the first two hours of use it took the rest of the entire first day just to fix it. Doing the work myself was enjoyable, economical, and it really turned out well. My ex wife still enjoys all the efforts I put into it to this day.


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## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

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## 68bucks

Did anyone ever get a quote from Mucksuckers? I have been in contact with them but haven't set up to get a quote. I'd like to get some clue about the cost before I drag them out. i know ponds vary but any quote would get me an idea what were talking about.


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## c. j. stone

One consideration before re-excavating. The glaciers also deposited a gazillion tons of sand and gravel(referred to as "bank-run" locally) into low lying areas such as the OP decsribed. If the sediment is not carefully removed by earth moving equipment, the potential exists to "puncture" into the sand and gravel field. If this happens, the low area may never refill/hold water again! The only option left is to "line" the bottom of the pond with clay and I'm told you may not want to know how expensive this can be!


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## RiparianRanger

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## mercercountyhunter

for those prices it would probably be easier and cheaper to drain the pond and hire dozer to come in and push muck out. also kill the pond off and start over with the fish you want in it and do it right by establishing a forage base first. I also think that the muck is not fertile soil at all.


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## mercercountyhunter

just seen salmonoid post, pondboss is by far the best place to get your answers. those guys are top notch and know their stuff. many biologists and pro dirt movers on that site.


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## Doboy

c. j. stone said:


> One consideration before re-excavating. The glaciers also deposited a gazillion tons of sand and gravel(referred to as "bank-run" locally) into low lying areas such as the OP decsribed. *If the sediment is not carefully removed by earth moving equipment, the potential exists to "puncture" into the sand and gravel field. If this happens, the low area may never refill/hold water again! The only option left is to "line" the bottom of the pond with clay and I'm told you may not want to know how expensive this can be!*



Many years ago, I dug out a pond for a home owner. After it was done, he wanted to go 2'-3' deeper & what you said DID HAPPEN! I hit sand. The owner still wanted the pond deeper so I took out extra sand for his beach area, & replaced it with clay by cutting back one of the banks. I put about 6" of clay all across the bottom, & tracked it in with the excavator. IT worked. 1/2 day extra,,, no biggie.

Another route,,,, 
Our sportsman club hired a 'Mudsucking company' (remember Gary! lol) to clean all of the sludge & weeds out of the swimming area of our 250 acre lake,,,, somewhere, there was pea-gravel below a foot of black stinky goo.
They used 2 mud sucking trash pumps that were mounted on a floating deck (like a small pontoon boat). The exhaust hose ran onto shore & into a sediment retention pond. A HUGE square retention pond with dirt banks. When t over-flowed, the dirty water ran into another retention area lined with straw bales,,,,, then back into the lake.
The operator had on a wet suit, snorkel & body floats,,, and held the hose in one hand & a hard rake in the other. Youtube vids show how to 'mine' for gold on the bottom of the ocean,,,, same deal. He started in the West & worked with the wind, so the sediment cleared as he went, for vision purposes. Safety man sat on shore.
IT TOOK HIM A WEEK, & ALMOST $30 GRAND!!!!
Every time he found a limb, stick, board or piece of plastic,,,,, ANYTHING that wouldn't/ couldn't suck up into that 4" suction hose, HE WALKED IT TO SHORE! (OMG! Time & material)
SO,,,,, make sure you have a CONTRACT, with time of completion clearly stated. And make sure YOU dive/ snorkel down & around to check out the job,,, before you pay!!

Bottom line,,,,, THAT 'suck-job' was a waste of big money & time! Yes, they did get rid of the muck, & it did clean up the gravel, but they didn't touch the 10' of cattails along shore.
And 2 years after, that bottom beach swimming area look pert-near the same as before they did the job. Cause,,,,,
The swimming area is located on the EAST side of that 250 acre lake, so every leave, stick, branch, plastic bottle, beer can, etc ended up there. (another pond building hint)
Flash-back
When I use'ta work for a living,,,, one of my friends & his dad bought an old 30b drag line. I think 80' of boom. They were going to start a pond/ lake building & dredging business. He Lived up by Orangeville.
I wonder if that idea ever panned out!?


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## Carpman

Just so you guys are aware of price for sucking the muck out. I have a 2 acre pond and they wanted 35k.


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## Willyfield

I have a half acre pond that I use to raise shiners for my main pond. The half acre pond in only 5' deep as it is old and has a lot of muck. I got a quote to drain it and remove the muck (not off site either) and it was $4500. I had a 1.5 acre pond dug for 11k and that guy had to move a bunch of dirt in a truck too. I think Papasmith has the right idea.


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## Fishingislife

I am going to probably rent a dredge this fall, if anyone needs me to dredge their pond in Columbus area let me know.


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