CKP Excavation

Established 1995

excavation

Most people think that excavating the pond is the bulk of the process but this is not the case. Sure it can be physically arduous, but using the right equipment and some savvy will make things much simpler. Excavation often accounts for less than 10% of the build

Another misguided idea is that the soil can be dispersed on your property. First, the amount of soil that comes out of even a small pond is tremendous and secondly, is not going to be good quality triple mix

Soil conditions will dictate how steep you will want to angle the walls and you need to be cognizant of water problems - a french drain may in in order

Clean Fill Bins
In most cases soil is removed from the site in a dumpster. Due to weight limitations, the maximum bin size generally available is 14 yards. A bin this size will handle soil for a typical 2,000 gallon pond. If you pond is going to be 5,000 gallons, 3 bins will likely be required

For smaller loads 4 and 7 yard bins are also available but it's amazing how fast these fill up and although you save some money, two 4 yard bins cost more than one 14 yard to rent - so err on the side of caution

Tools and Equipment
The ubiquitous shovel, pick and wheelbarrow are obviously essentials and even with a backhoe excavation, will still need to be utilized to shape the pond shell. A squared shovel works best for shaping

Hammer drills (photo below) with a spade attachment work magic in heavy clay with small ponds and sites that prohibit backhoe access. These are well worth the rental price

For larger ponds the only real option is a tractor or backhoe but remember, they usually end up doing a lot of damage. They tear up the lawn and fences usually need to be removed to allow access. For these and other reasons, it is sometimes better to hand dig a small to medium sized pond


The larger the bucket, the more difficult it is to achieve a good pond shell. The operators talent is also paramount		With deep ponds and/or heavy clayey soil conditions, a backhoe is the only option		Although this backhoe is great a whisking away the earth, a large portion of sod is now destroyed and will need to be replaced

Ground Water
It is not uncommon to hit water - there are many houses built in watersheds and on former wetlands. If you do not drain away the water, the liner may whale (bulge up). The weight of the water in the pond will not necessarily stop this from happening depending on the volume of ground water

Putting stone on the liner to correct this is not only a band aid approach but it will also trap debris and inhibit the function of a bottom drain. The necessary approach is to install a french drain. This allows the water to seep away from the pond to a sump. From here, water can be pumped away with an automatic sump pump

Hand Digging
You want to avoid hand digging a clay pond in 95 degree temperatures but sometimes you have no choice ! We can typically last about 5 hours at a good pace in these conditions

Pond Shell
After the rough excavation, substantial time should be spent to shape and contour the pond shell. (photo left) This will help prevent dead spots and prevent debris from being trapped. It is at this stage that the all important plumbing is installed. I always say, plumbing makes the pond. The Ideal Design page has more concept information

The entire shell should be bowled to the lowest point of the pond where the bottom drain is placed. In this manner debris not collected by your skimmer(s) will make its way to the drain(s) unimpeded. With sandy soils, the slope or grade needs to be more gradual to reduce the risk of the walls caving in

Last Modified : January 15, 2008
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