Pond Excavation and Renovation

During the fall AGM the membership voted to proceed with a much needed pond renovation project to three existing ponds. Each pond will be dredged and deepened as well as having its rip rap walls rebuilt. One of the ponds undergoing renovation is the main irrigation pond which will also receive renovations to the wet-well intake for the irrigation pump house. The other two ponds are connected to the main irrigation pond and serve as reservoirs for the irrigation system.

Work on the renovations started in the early fall with the excavation of the existing wet-well and intake at the pump house. As you can see in these pictures, the wet-well extends almost twenty feet below the surface of the ground and to expose the bottom of it the contractors removed a significant amount of material. As the wet-well was exposed it also became apparent that wooden pilings were used in the construction of the pump house. The warm temperatures combined with the infiltration of ground water created some significant delays as the contractors waited for the ground to freeze before undertaking the bulk of the digging.

Warm temperatures continue to be a problem in the excavation of the ponds as well. Without the cold temperatures to freeze the ground as they excavate, the contractors focus their time on other parts of the project. The river pumps are both on order and should arrive in the next few weeks. One will be installed when it arrives which will give us access to water to fill the ponds as the project is completed. Also, the renovation of the wet-well and the installation of the new intake is complete until the rest of the pond renovation is completed.

With colder temperatures this week, pond excavation work is in full swing. Stay tuned for updates and pictures. Regular updates and pictures are often posted on our Twitter account as well as our Facebook page. Any questions or comments may be directed to the Maintenance Department.