Back to Bailing

A neighbor is having a pond dug. It's, from what I know about how it works locally, is free. The contractor digging the pond sells the dirt to cover expenses and profit. This can take some time, unless there is a high demand for the dirt. Eventually, my neighbor will have much less grass to cut, have a large deep pond to enjoy, and can enhance their property value, which the county will tax accordingly. 

About a week ago, we had ten inches of rain over a three day period. The pond, which was about half excavated, completely filled with water. Since the contractor appears to know their craft, they were excavating, and shaping, their way to a single point. This allows the better material a deeper depth to be excavated. This material, which is rich in clay, is the best material for structural strength, and can lead to firmly compacted soil only requiring a spread footing for a building. The problem is the amount of water that can accumulate in the pond during a rain event. 

After years of construction, and watching the contractor, I was a little amazed at their method of bailing out the water. My experience told me a 4 inch pump was the minimum amount required to pump the water in an economical time period. A six inch pump would be even better, but the cost of the pump can make the prospect too expensive for a small contractor only excavating small ponds. 

The contractor, a little to my dismay, only had a 2 inch pump, which would take days to remove the water. He supplemented the pump with his half yard excavator, which he ran all day bailing. He'd dip, swing, and dump the water to where it would drain. He did this for over a day, and made me wonder if he really understood costs. His time, which has to be worth something, and the cost of fuel for the excavator were much higher than the cost of a larger pump; even if he rented one. 

So, with the three inches of rain this morning, he'll have a full pond again. This, if he follows his past method, will give him over two days of down time with expenses, and long hours to haul dirt to make up the loss of revenue...if there is a customer for the material.

It's looking like the wetter season is here, rain will fall at least once a week, and some might be heavy, with large accumulations of water. My neighbor, who hasn't had to cut nearly as much grass, will probably have the rumble of machinery and trucks for most of the next six months. In my opinion, it's a win for him, unless the contractor runs out of money, or just gives up. Time will tell, and I'll sit on the porch to watch the show.