Aerial view of entrance pre-construction.

Aerial view of proposed lake site

First step is to clear trails and do soil testing to see if the soil is suitable.

The existing driveway is completely redone.

Driveway is widened and power line right of way cleared.

Wet winter weather affords the opportunity to burn brush

Electric service is established in preparation for the new home construction.

Large area being excavated at driveway culvert location to remove unsuitable soils.

Remove old small pipes which were not adequate for water flow.

Anti-seep collars & connecting bands for 36" HDPE culvert pipe (high density polyethylene).

Inadequate original driveway is refurbished with larger drainage pipes. Soil corrections were needed around the pipe. Unsuitable soil was removed.

Band used to connect two 20' pipes.

Connecting HPDE pipe

Setting base of anti-seep collar at correct elevation

Anti-seep collars prevent erosion around the drainage pipes.

Backfill with clay

Proper soils and compaction are crucial for a successful culvert installation

Driveway is elevated several feet to insure integrity and improve the overall look.

Corrected road elevation with easy to maintain slopes

A small existing pond that leaks being drained for repairs. The pond will be expanded in size and deepened.

Excavating for depth.

The material excavated from the leaking pond is used to construct the new driveway.

The driveway was excavated to remove unsuitable soil and the proper material is hauled in from the pond excavation.

The old pond leak was 'repaired' with bentonite clay by another contractor. The fix was not effective.

The repaired pond is plated with 24" of high plasticity clay to seal it.

Slopes were corrected during the pond expansion.

A large tract of hardwood and Cedar trees must be removed to make room for the future lake.

The owner requested us to save the larger trees so they could be sawn for lumber at a later date. The stumps and tops were removed from the saw logs.

Saw logs stacked for skidding to a central location.

The tops and stumps are burned.

The last of the logs are cut and brush burned in the lake bottom.

Looking north along the long axis of the new lake.

The same view after additional soil has been removed to add depth to the lake.

Looking south to the dam.

Aerial view showing excavation area ready for liner application

Nick surveys the bottom of the lake -- a good look at the perspective of the size and depth of the project

Rolling the surface is the final chore before liner installation.

Anchor trench for the plastic lake liner is dug around the complete circumference of the lake.

The outer edge of the plastic liner will be placed in the trench and the trench will be filled with soil.

This will anchor the plastic lake liner in place permanently.

The installation of the plastic lake liner.

The sections of plastic lake liner are rolled out and the seams are permanently welded together.

The edge of the plastic lake liner in the anchor trench.

The lake liner nears completion.

Several inches of cover dirt is meticulously placed on top of the plastic lake liner to permanently fix it to the lake bottom.

Final grading of the lake area in preparation for seeding.

Top soil is replaced

A gravel road is constructed to the owner's future home site on the bank of his new lake.

The lake fills. Not much grass due to a dry fall and winter. February 2011