Tonnes of silt

[Mazzinio]

i have a decent sized pond (27m x 14m with an island) and was eventually to drain and clean after years of previous owners neglect. The weather being so dry has forced my hand on this decision as the water evaporated and left nothing but silt. It varies from 30cm deep to 90com deep.

Yesterday we pumped out 10,000 litres and it didn't look much different afterwards.
Today we have a digger and dumper in an attempt to get to the bottom in some places.
We are winging it really so just after advice on the process:

@ best way to get rid of silt?
@ do I need a pond liner?
@ any other advice kindly accepted

I've attached a couple of photos to help.

 

[GBBUDD]

unfortunately there is no easy way to remove heavy silt. Even with heavy equipment silt is a real pain to deal with. if you can find a recycling plant that makes top soil it looks like your material could be gold to them, where they may not charge you an arm and a leg to dispose of. If your area already holds water and for the size of your pond I would look at bentonite. it's a material that you mix into the existing soil" after the silt is removed" a rubber line will cost you a fortune. But a little advise keep it quiet. With all the environmental butting there nose in other peoples business your pond being the size it is they may look at it as a wetland ,and or even worse a vernal pool if that's the case you won't be allowed to touch a drop of the silt.

 

[MitchM]

That looks like quite the project, but I would be aware of what your local regulations are before getting too carried away. Government regulations could cost you a lot of money if the project goes too far off track.
Is this pond normally filled via a stream or spring and does it run into other local waterways?
@GBBUDD has a good idea about it being valuable to local topsoil suppliers.

 

[j.w]

@Mazzinio

 

[Mazzinio]

Update: 11 hours of graft and I'm beaten, cannot get to dump truck into the pond but had a good go with the digger. There is 6" of pebbles under the silt as well but I don't know why? Dug them up anyway and got back to really good/firm clay.
Although my house is called Springfield because of a local spring, sadly it doesn't feed my pond.
Good point about the silt being of value but finding someone to but it is the issue. Will try and pump few 1000 more litres out this week before a big push next weekend to empty it and get back to square before the weather turns.
I'm too far in now to turn back...

 

[GBBUDD]

I'm betting the layer of cobbles was to protect the clay layer below and also to keep silt from the wet clay from clouding up the pond

it will make great composting mixture for flowers or gardening it should be LA LALA LA LOADED with organic material.

 

[Mazzinio]

I'm betting the layer of cobbles was to protect the clay layer below and also to keep silt from the wet clay from clouding up the pond

it will make great composting mixture for flowers or gardening it should be LA LALA LA LOADED with organic material.

Makes sense I guess, would you clean and reuse or just get rid? Would be a lot easier to just skip them I think.

 

[addy1]

welcome to our group! What a project you are involved in! Keep on digging!

 

[GBBUDD]

I would leave the rock and place at least 3" on top using 3/8" or similar the existing will be full or your silt and probably the clay it's trying to cap. if it's to shallow then yes i'd remove it but I would venture toward adding some bentonite before I caped it with new stone nothing worse then a pond that slowly drains out