Living in dread of the dredge...

[Toolslinger]

I've been chasing a pond company for a couple years now to get my two mill ponds dealt with. The upper eroded, and basically emptied to a swamp, and the lower is on the verge of the same.

I've gone back and forth with the owner a couple times, but apparently he's notorious for not getting back to people. On the other hand he does amazing work, so likely worth the headache.

One of his guys came by yesterday to "float" the ponds. Basically they survey the pond depth, and condition, and how much material they would have to clean out. The upper pond is about 1/3 the size of the lower. I will not be able to rebuild to the original height, but I will be able to get 3' above where it is now, which would give me a pond again.

His guy stopped by to talk to be between surveys. Asked me if I had any idea how deep my upper was. I know it was something like 14 feet deep just before the falls when I was a kid, and the water is a good 6 feet down from the max line back then. He proceeded to inform me I have around 8' of silt, and it is around 1200 cu/yd of material...

Holy crap, that's a lot of material to deal with, and that's just the upper... That's going to be a mountain of material to dry out, and have to spread around... If I get it all dug out, I'll have 10' of depth again... That would be excellent. Plenty deep to keep the fish happy, and cool when I restock brook trout. They in turn will help take care of the potential mosquitos.

[JSinMO]

Sounds like a big project, but a nice fishing hole in the end.
I wonder if that silt would have enough organic matter to be good on a garden?
We have a small pond on the back of the property. It’s somewhere on the list of things I’d like to work on around here. Maybe someday……

[RoamingGnome]

I'll be following this thread with some interest...

We have a small creek running across the front of our property. The fact that it was a documented "wetland" gave us some headaches when we were going through the planning and permitting process for building on our 10 acres. Our neighbour said there used to be a small beaver pond there over 50 years ago, but it has gradually silted up to the point where it is mostly a meadow / swamp with the little crick going through. Once we have finished the construction projects I'd like to investigate with the local conservation authority what would be allowed in terms of "restoring" it a bit. It's crazy all the restrictions that got put on the property because of a water feature that is almost non existent now, but the office staff are too busy to get out from behind their desks and actually see that the landscape has changed so much since the last set of topo maps were done for the area...

[Eugen]

Sounds like a problem I'd like to have. Both the pond and all the silt you may be able to take out. I've heard about people generating amazing garden soil from stuff like that. That is, if you're into making a garden at some point. Not sure I understood the whole context but having a mill is something else that triggers all kind of endorphine signals in my brain. In any case, it's really nice to hear about stuff like this, but you know we like pictures .

[Toolslinger]

So... The property is near the base of our mountain. The top of the mountain was basically the western extent of Pennsylvania as it started out. I'm west/north of that, so the mill was outside the colony, and also predates the revolution. It sat between a couple forts that defined the edge, and was used as a shelter from raids from the indigenous folks... It was placed here because the water source is excellent, and highly dependable.

Ok, so the upper dam was built to serve the grist mill, eventually they added a bone meal mill, and a cider mill on either side of the grist mill Only the grist mill is left. The lower pond fed a saw mill. That too is long gone.

Starting from the top... The upper pond is right next to my house. It would be to the right of these photos.

That should be full. These photos don't really capture it all that well...

From the top where the trees are to the water surface is close to 6'. The mill is down and to the left.

This is the primary spillway. Someplace right in here is the opening to a 12" cast iron pipe that feeds down to the turbine in the mill.

Front shot of the upper dam. Main spillway is to the left. The secondary is to the right of this shot, but that hasn't run for years due to the erosion on the primary.

Dam is to the right here. Water drops another 8' or so to the level of the empty foundation slab from the bone meal mill. Then through the grist mill.

This is the raceway. There would have been a wheel here originally, but we have no info on it. The turbine came much later. You can see it there hanging on the end of the 12" pipe coming from the right. It's another 10, or 12' drop in this photo.

Below the mill now. The foundation on the right there is the cider mill remains. Water flows through a pipe under the dirt road I'm standing on.

Other side of the pipe/road, flowing out to the lower pond.

Lower pond.

You can see the stone dam on the far side. Water runs out to the left of center here, and is eroding the back of the dam. Water depth over there in probably 10', perhaps a bit more.

[JSinMO]

@Toolslinger Thanks for the pictures, that is an awesome property you have! And I love the history of it! If you decide to work on the place please take us along! I’d love to see the ponds get worked on.

[Eugen]

Beautiful place! I really appreciate you showing us around like that!

[MattA]

Really cool pics. Looks like a good job for Eugen's backhoe.

[myerslawnandgarden]

Toolslinger,

Those pictures are way cool.

Thank you!

Bob

[DavidBarkey]

Such a beautiful place . Based on your description I assume you are at the bottom of the Niagara Escarpment Range . Natural water flows like that are e thing of wounders.