Blasting a small pond with ANFO, how much to use and safe distances

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I am planning to blast a small farm pond early next year. The area is heavily wooded rocky clay subsoil. There is a federal highway that will be shut down during the blasting and a neighbors house about 1000ft from the blast site. They will be informed prior to blasting so they can shudder windows.

What I would like to know is how much can/do I need to use to blast up to a 100ft diameter pond approx 6 feet deep. Flying debris is blocked by trees on all sides and a hillside in the direction of the neighbors house. OHP will shut down the highway during blasting.

Primary considerations

1. Safety of myself, the neighbors, and people on the highway.

Secondary considerations -

1. Fewest blast events possible
2. Use the least amount of explosive

[y***@gmail.com]

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Post by y***@gmail.com

Post by y***@gmail.com
I am planning to blast a small farm pond early next year. The area is heavily

wooded rocky clay subsoil. There is a federal highway that will be shut
down during the blasting and a neighbors house about 1000ft from the
blast site. They will be informed prior to blasting so they
can shudder windows.

Prevention of damage to the neighbors windows will be your responsibility,
not theirs...

And if anything it's "shutter" not "shudder"..

Post by y***@gmail.com

Post by y***@gmail.com
What I would like to know is how much can/do I need to use to blast up

to a 100ft diameter pond approx 6 feet deep. Flying debris is blocked by
trees on all sides and a hillside in the direction of the neighbors house.
OHP will shut down the highway during blasting.

Post by y***@gmail.com
Primary considerations
1. Safety of myself, the neighbors, and people on the highway.
Secondary considerations -
1. Fewest blast events possible
2. Use the least amount of explosive

Sorry I forgot to add that I intend on using commercially available explosives,
so probably #8 detonators, dynamite and premix ANFO. No hillbilly
shit. So I also need to know what to ask for so I can put it on the
blasting permit exemption form.

Why are you sure that blasting is the way to go?

It's more likely that conventional excavators would do the job if it's
just rocks mixed in with clay.

Blasting is more appropriate for hard rock.

And in any case, blasting won't remove the material in a way that will
allow you to have a pond.. it will just "break" whatever is there, and
you will still need excavators to clear the debris.

I'd start with a Cat with a ripper. Then go to a hydraulic excavator. If
there are big rocks, I'd use an excavator with a "thumb" to pick the rocks
up.

If I hit solid rock, then I'd consider drilling and blasting the rock.

Are you planning on using the spoils to build up the down hill bank of
the pond? By carefully planning your cut and fill, you can save yourself
a lot of digging.

You can, in some cases, make the problem worse by explosively compacting
clay soils.

You should probably get a recent copy of "Blasters Handbook" for ideas if
you really want to do this.

It isn't as simple as "drill a 10 inch hole 12 feet deep, plant 30 gallons of ANFO with
a booster charge and fire the shot". it's more likey that you will need an
array of holes shot in the proper sequence.. and a cut trench to give the
blasted soil some place to go will also help.

Clearly you don't want "one big crater".

Get the book, first..