[AT] Pulling a sheepsfoot with a Ford 8n

[carl gogol]

The best place for a pond or small dam is usually a place that is low and 
wet.  In central NY there is not a long season when conditions are just 
right for creating an earthen impoundment.  I am far from an expert, but 
watched and assisted my father from the time I was knee high to grasshopper 
build several dozen ponds. He had built a hundred or so more before I was 
born.  Most of these were much smaller than the one that required a 
sheepsfoot roller.  This one had to be constructed  to specifications 
because it impounded more than a million gallons (actually 5.5 million) and 
was over 10' above the natural contour of the land.  This dam had a core of 
clay a minimum of 12' wide and the core was dug below grade with a TLB so it 
extended about 5' below natural grade.  It was too wet to doze the trench at 
the time of construction.  When constructing small ponds there is seldom 
enough material of the right clay content at the right moisture in the 
immediate vicinity.  It is not economical to bring material for more than 
1-200 ft with a dozer, so you often do the best you can with what you have. 
But you have to have an impervious core and that means clay.  Normally the 
back side of the dam gets the topsoil that was stripped from the basin and 
what ever else is there gets to where it can go.  the only place we used 
rocks was on the water side at the water line to break the wave action. A 
dozer is unable to produce enough ground pressure to compact the material, 
but on smaller ponds it is really not necessary if there is enough clay 
around.
Carl Gogol
Manlius, NY
(2) AC D-14, AC 914H
Simplicity 3112 & 7116
Kubota F-2400