Bogging in New Jersey

[addy1]

You could get quilt batting put it in the out flow of the bog area catch a lot of the debris as it flows out. Have a bunch so you swap and rinse it.

 

[bobchapman]

Today I worked on getting the liner to conform (sort of) to the inflow from the stream into the pond:

I guess it will do, though not too pretty. I thought about using the corner dams that one installs in the shower at the intersection of the sill and the door jamb, but decided that cutting the liner to match up to the dam was a bad idea.

Also worked on getting the stream bed to the right width and slope. Then pounded it down with my compactor.

Yesterday, my wife and I went looking for stones to line the top of the concrete block wall. Here's what we found:

It's a sort of sedimentary rock in yellows and browns. A couple of the mason's yards near here carry what appears to be stone from the same quarry, but they each have stones in different sizes from each other. Between the two of them, I think I can get what I need. This pallet weighs 2660 pounds, which is nicely within the capacity of my trailer! While I have my manlift/crane in position at the pond, I want to get these big guys placed: the biggest one is probably 500 pounds.

 

[addy1]

Sweet! Love those rocks!

By the time you do the rocks, plants, water flowing it will look great.

 

[bobchapman]

How to build the stream bed? Here's my concept:

What's the best way to terminate the liner at the edges of the stream bed so that it's both hidden and prevents leakage out of the stream due to cracks in the concrete/mortar? And should I be using mortar or concrete? (I'mplanning to embed the samll stones int he concrete/mortar) Thanks for any suggestions.
Bob

 

[addy1]

I used only liner. If you are going to mortar it I would have the liner come up to the top of the stream edge, where your mortar stops. If you make it deep enough so the water is never higher than your mortar edge you could keep the liner lower.

I have found , over time, I would have liked my stream bed a bit deeper. Mainly due to deer walking it in the winter. A bad winter then they come up on the slope and inhale the plants. In doing that they walk on the stones along the edge, walk in the stream. In doing that they rearrange the edging stones, which can cause leaks. Remember I am on a serious slope so the down slope side of my stream had to be built up via dirt in spots. I walk the stream every spring before turn on to find areas that have been deer rearranged and remove plants parts they munched on.

I have found over time, 6 years, plants love to grow in the stream, so now and then I walk the stream and yank plants. I made my stream bed 10 - 12 inches deep.

The last visit by mrs deer she, stomped on a edge when she was running from our air gun shot. The next day I saw the pond dropping, in walking where I saw her running she had nicely rearranged an edge and the water was running out. I have reinforced a lot of the edges over the years, this edge was down by the bottom stream pond, the water fall into that pond, well she did a good job of making a leak. Reinforced now.

I made deep spots in the stream bed to hold water when my stream is not running and three stream ponds (no fish), I run it on a timer due to 100+ feet of head pressure.

 

[addy1]

Oh and the edge of the liner goes up on the dirt slightly lower than the yard dirt, then up over the yard dirt, with rocks covering it. Hides the edge well.

And I double lined the stream, two pieces of liner the entire 85 feet. More deer hoof protection. I watched them walk the stream while I was building it.

 

[bobchapman]

Maybe I'm mentally over-building this stream. I don't have nearly the slope that you apparently have: mine is a 3-foot drop in the 75-foot run of the stream; a reasonably gentle slope. Maybe I, too, can get away with just liner-with-rocks-on-top, rather than the mortar or concrete that I was assuming would be necessary -- a lot less work! And a lot more flexible if I find that I don't like something about it.

Thanks for your comments, Addy.

If you're ever up this way (Montclair NJ), you're certainly welcome to stop in and see what I'm up to.

Bob

 

[bobchapman]

One more topic, please: I gather that you don't get a lot of muck buildup in the stream-bed, among the loose rocks. I was thinking that I needed to embed the stream-bed rocks in mortar so that there wasn't a handy place for gunk to collect.

 

[addy1]

lol I have around a 20 foot drop in 35 feet, the 85 foot stream does switch backs to slow down the flow as it goes down hill. I do not get any gunk collection, except in the stream ponds. The shallow areas stay clean. I do have some small rocks, gravel for the water to flow over here and there, makes a nice noise. Also a lot of drops in the stream bed, mini waterfalls and waterfalls. Along the stream I had to dig down in places 3 feet on the up slope to make the stream bed have a level spot.

The plants anchor themselves among the rocks. Frogs lay a ton of eggs in the steam ponds. They like fishless areas.

We use a harbor freight clear water pump to push the water up the hill, think it is around 3500 gph, but of course by the time it gets up the hill the flow is a lot less. no clue how much flows down hill but it works.

 

[addy1]

If I were you I would just make it a liner stream. Deals with freeze thaw and heaving better.

 

[Lisak1]

I agree with @addy1 - even a gentle flowing stream will push small rocks. You'll be constantly moving them back upstream. Some larger rocks placed in the stream bed to direct the flow are good - you can strategically place rocks to force water between them and create the appearance of faster moving water, or conversely create spaces where water will pool to allow for plants to grow. ROCKS ARE FUN! Be creative! But definitely avoid mortaring anything in - that's a long term maintanance commitment right there.

 

[bobchapman]

Thanks Addy and Lisak; I'm taking your advice --- liner & rocks, no mortar.

 

[bobchapman]

Well, the last two days have been un-ending rain, which we badly needed here in NJ.
This morning, I thought that it had cleared, so I set out to mortar the rocks onto the top of the concrete block wall of the pond. So I got the wheelbarrow loaded with mortar mix and colorant. The rocks are not trimmed to fit tightly together, so I'm coloring the mortar black to make the gaps between rocks much less noticeable. Just as I finished mixing in the water, the sky opened with a monsoon. I stayed at it long enough to use up the batch that I had mixed, then went in to change all my clothes!
All this rain has had a good effect: filling the pond! I had been a little concerned about the cost of the water to fill the pound (we're on City water here), and what to do about the chlorine or chloramines. The pond is now about 6" short of being totally filled, all from rain water. Years ago , I had re-routed all the house gutters into a huge sump, one of several that we have discovered after moving into the house 38 years ago. I'm assuming that some were for capturing rain water for use in the house, and some were for capturing "used" water. We've also dug up many orange tile runs in the backyard --- perhaps a leach field for the "used" variety of water, and other waste.
In any case, I dropped a pump into the sump, and pumped it to the pond. The pump has been running much of the daylight hours today, and has drawn the sump down substantially; usually it just percs into the ground.
Should have some pix tomorrow of progress.
Also started work on figuring out how to lay the pump plumbing into the pump pit. Two inch and three inch pipe is really big stuff, and leaf baskets and pumps aren't so small either. It's all going to fit, but I'm trying to do it in a way that minimizes fittings, and therefore dynamic head, and maximizes left-over space. More of that tomorrow, too, I hope. Hmmmh, well, maybe: I see that the forecast is thunderstorms and rain. I see a full pond in my future!

 

[addy1]

Great! Looking forward to more pictures.

We were getting dry the rain was nice, but it would be nicer if it was a slow soaking rain, not 2.5 inches in a few hours.

We use rain water to change our pond water, add water, etc. Love a good rain, the pond gets a great water change.
Even though we are on a well I like using rain water. Saves our well pump from running a lot.

 

[cas]

The pond is now about 6" short of being totally filled, all from rain water.

How nice! I also had rain fill my newly dug pond...... but before I had the liner in..... twice! At least your rain was better timed!
I love how your pond is coming along. Nice job.