Pulling the Trigger on My Desert Forest Dream

The day starts early at Dustups, with the hum of a bulldozer breaking the morning silence.
Today's not just any day-it's the one where I start terraforming (at scale). "Building" out a huge pond to catch rainwater, right here in the middle of the Texas desert, isn't as hard as I thought it would be.
I've got 320 acres of dry land, and every scoop of earth is a small victory. This pond is going to be the heart of the desert forest I've been dreaming of, and the bulldozer is the key to making it happen.
If you're as passionate about permaculture projects and desert ranches as I am, and you did actually enjoyed the video, hitting the like button is allowed and encouraged :). So, feel free to do it. 🌄
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
👉 You probably noticed that I post many of these videos on a delay.
If you'd like to stay up to date with the latest ranch happenings, the best way is to join my email group at dustupsranch.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
👉 In case you missed the previous episode, here’s a shortcut:
• I Can't Believe This F...
I Never Thought I'd Be Using a Bulldozer for THIS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
💡 Useful Resources
👉 Get access to Dustups 2D/3D map by joining the membership program at www.buymeacoff...
👉 BTC Donations: 3MbcxZzYpRjNRJJP55ZdBtt8TWfp7SS9bR
👉 The Facebook group where like-minded people connect: / dustups
#desertlandscape #desertlife #permaculture

[@NemecJesse]

Make sure to armor a spillway for the overflow. Water running over the top at the low point and down the back side will fatally erode the dam.

[@jbtcajun5260]

Has cut fill maps sure that's all planned.

[@richardhobbs7107]

Or don't have 'overflow'. Build in pipes as a culvert near the top to allow the water to pass without erosion . A dam a friend & I built on a creek (to form a small lake on which to sail our model boats) lasted several years because we found discarded pipes to build in to the dam at the height / depth we wanted our 'lake' . The pipes were long enough that their outlet was past the back of the dam preventing erosion . Also kids going to school nearby found our dam to be a convenient shortcut and used it as a bridge .

[@Elgrenyudoh]

oh yes, I just watched recently this vid from The Simple-Earth Journey: Untamed and how a strong storm ruined his dam because the overfflow pipes weren't enough

[@ban9640]

if u have it on certain fixed distances will not erode the dam especially with large rock dam @@Elgrenyudoh

[@rsr3959]

Odds are it'll all wash away. Something like that needs culverts to maintain integrity or a wetland road construction a la Bill Zeedyk (rock base for drainage with road surface above, including culverts if needed). Spillways will only work if both sides are rock and/or timber and/or metal pilings armored.

[@lamerdan]

a cheap and easy way to get an idea of the composition of soil is to take a series of mason jars, fill 2/3 with soil from a spot, fill up with water, shake and then let settle. Do a bunch a those, maybe label with what you think they are, but leave the jars settling in that spot where the sample was taken from. maybe assign a number to the jar also so as you video and catalog stuff you can do some correlation of video to types of soil along with some GPS coordinates. yes that's nerdy but it's what us nerds do.

[@dustupstexas]

I like it

[@DavidSaintOnge2007]

Scared me with the title for a second… it’s coming along. I am always so excited to see the notification for another one of your videos. When you pull this off, you will be a legend. The effects of this project will reach countless beings beyond our lifetimes.

[@LD__]

Same 😬

[@gibbyrockerhunter]

Did he change it or was it “pulling the trigger”?

[@DavidSaintOnge2007]

@@gibbyrockerhunter the trigger thing--for a moment I thought he meant ending as opposed to initiating.

[@Bantallas]

Ok, i get it....but how would he have done the upload then?

[@Crusty_Camper]

Your dam building reminds me of a time many years ago when I was working in Chad , Africa. A group of ladies had decided to build a dam across a seasonal river and each day after work, they would each carry a load of rocks to the dam site and carefully put them in place. It would have been the work of half a day for a bulldozer but doing it by hand was going to take years. But I have no doubt that they did it and I would love to be able to return to see the completed dam. They had also made shallow berms a few feet downhill from each of they main trees, to catch and hold back the rainfall. What you are doing is so similar in a lot of ways. All success to you.

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

The best operator is the one who gets out of the machine and observe from ground level. Never lose that skill. Well done!

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

@@gardenersgraziers7261 I'm sure he will gain wisdom about what to plant as soon as the dam has been completed and has been baptised by the first rain.

[@Technoanima]

Much respect for your work and commitment! Don't forget to pile large rocks next to the new road so any flash flood doesn't wash away your progress.

[@josea7804]

Also make sure you provide a way for the water to not over flow the embankment during heavy rains. Now with the higher embankment the water will have more erosion potential

[@carolleenkelmann3829]

​@@josea7804 I kept seeing that as well. Planting resilient desert grasses as soon as the job is finished should help stabilize the soil. Means more work on the spot in the area. None of this travelling 9 hours one way.

[@DaDunge]

@@josea7804He also got to make sure the water does not gain speed as it drops because that's the öast thign he wants. The goal must always be to make water move as slowly as possible water in swift motion will destroy anything.

[@Technoanima]

@@josea7804 good point, a couple of sandbags placed zig zag atop each other is a formidable formation, place grass seed in the bags and you're good to go!!

[@stevewinwood3674]

I think he plans on using the pipes he talked about to prevent water over topping the berm/levee/road, but I am not sure

[@andreaslarsson863]

I love following your journey and I'm hoping the result in 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 years will totally blow our minds away.

[@troelsersking101]

Me too.. I was thinking how this is great to follow from the humble beginnings. Now I am in Denmark and have no issue with lack of water but theres also a lot people here can do. Also I know at least the Arizona climate and it is interesting to follow this project as it is close to the US area I know.

[@DungNguyen-c2u7j]

And what i learnt from the chinese growing desert technique is that you should go around and collect dead trees, dead grass and dead plantations and fill up some of those holes you digged too. So when there rain come. Those organic matter will hold more water and turn into foods for the trees that you are planting. In another word, you should dig holes, plant trees in a bit deeper holes then cover those holes up with dry grass and leafs or plants. Then just cover those dry grass, leafs and plants by some dirt so that those grasses and leafs and dead plants will not fly away by the wind and will be there under the dirt until water come and break them down and turn them into foods for the plants that you planting. Or in another word. From what you are having right now on your land. I would walk around and find those trees that already survive, and those plants that already growing strong. Then i will collect those dry grass by cutting them not pulling their roots off the ground. Then use those dry grass to cover around those big trees rootd then get some dirts and cover those dry grasses up. Just so that you dont waste the organic matter from those grasses. Sometimes they will die out and by the wind they will fly somewhere else. Not going to stay in your land. And if they end up in the other part of the desert and turn into dust then they will end up somewhere else and not going to stay inside the desert where need the most nutrients.

[@raresaturn]

maybe get a woodchipper too to turn those dead branches into mulch

[@DungNguyen-c2u7j]

@@raresaturn you dont know if all those trees are gone yet or not. Desert trees are different. Some look fully dry but if there is some water they might be still alive. That is what the oldest trees in the desert told me. So yeah. Feel free to chop them down but you might chop down those that still alive too. Best is to use dry grasses and leaves only. And dont chop big trees because those big trees still can be house for reptiles and snakes or other creatures.

[@DungNguyen-c2u7j]

@@raresaturn kzbin.info2v9QlxqA18k?si=Y8vJFkUF7NUYSR9R Oldest tree? Not sure. Still alive? Dont know..

[@raresaturn]

@@DungNguyen-c2u7j I didn't say chop them down i said dead branches

[@DungNguyen-c2u7j]

@@raresaturn in a remoted area like that. Ideas with too much machines will just waste more money. The money to bring a machine there to chop woods can just use to bring some of urban rubbishes there. Green bins? Or simply wastes from those farms nearby.

[@Mobimanie]

This is a gardening Channel for people who plan to live on Mars.❤

[@3PMedia]

I’m so glad I found this project early so I can watch it evolve through the years. Excited to see how things pan out.

[@spitefulwar]

If just more landowners in the US had this kind of vision...

[@cryptowolf-zf3fs]

Great to have vision, even better to have the money to make the vision a reality. Most landowners are just scrapping by financially.

[@ManteraDigitaL]

i read it as "lawnmowers" instead of "landowners" at first. something wrong with my eyes 😅

[@dustupstexas]

I'm not loaded and my income didn't fall from the sky. I dreamed for 10 years before I had my opportunity

[@rekaloknight6275]

@@ManteraDigitaL you're not alone I did as well.

[@rekaloknight6275]

@@cryptowolf-zf3fs Just like what Shaun said, you have to have the vision first, work hard, save, search for the opportunities, then work hard on your dream when it all comes together.

[@cbxxb4841]

For what it’s worth, you can dig out the reservoir and use that dirt to make the dam twice as wide! I’m afraid if you get a huge rain, that dam will wash out with little 4” overflows, use culvert…. Plus an L shaped overflow where the water goes into the vertical then out the bottom on the dam is better…. Exciting project!

[@veramae4098]

Overflow destroyed the Johnsonville Dam. Huge American civil catastrophe. Google it if you don't know.

[@texasranchadventures]

Just got a tractor on my 20 acres in terlingua as I’m clearing the driveway up to the top of our mesa. I constantly find myself thinking of your work. 😂🙏🙌

[@texasranchadventures]

I respect you for wearing a mask. I’ve been using neck gaiters but definitely need to get myself a proper mask for the silty dust. Had a major headache a few days ago and I bet it’s from all the dust.

[@texasranchadventures]

I love seeing the jets fly by here too. Makes me feel like I’m not so alone out here😂

[@dustupstexas]

A respirator is essential. I ran the dozer for 10 minutes because I was "just driving" and my sinuses sealed shut. I'm done with that. Googles and respirator anytime the machine is on the move

[@IHav2BlackCats]

@@dustupstexas Not sure what budget you have and how inconvenient it is for you to wear the respirator/goggles. But they make forced air filtered headcovers, like the stuff out of movies where theres a disease/quarantine type thing. They might even make one with air conditioning, i didnt dive too deep. I was just looking for the forced air welding hoods, and saw a few other options.

[@paleggett1897]

Thanks for bringing us along!

[@Golden_SnowFlake]

I don't know why I follow this channel with such vigor, But I get excited when I notice a new video is released. Thank you for documenting your journey.

[@rainman7992]

Some folks in India did the same thing, but instead of building one holdback along a drainage basin, they built mutliple to slow down the water, and have more basins for holding back the water to enable it to soak into the ground. the downstream side was always a low angle so as to rob the water of energy to erode.

[@Mitaken4089]

Amazing!!!! Im excited for the rain to come. Just remember that the speed of the flow can wash it out, so you might need to reinforce it with rocks, concrete or even branches just to reduce the speed. YOU GOT THIS BUDDY YOU HAVE A WHOLE COMMUNITY BEHIND YOU. STAY STRONG 💪🏽.

[@johnnyhays2942]

Think like a Beaver Shaun--they be the master engineers!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jbperformance6703]

You Are Not just doing something for Texas in Texas! You Are doing something against the biggest Problems this planet has! Keep Up the amazing work! PS: i just bingewatched your Wohle channel and it was amazing.

[@SamsLiberty]

Cannot wait to see how well this thing fills up.

[@zb9458]

Hi Shaun! Great work, your last bit spoke to me about leaving things a bit better as you found them. I've been picking up trash in San Francisco for a while, and that philosophy is what keeps me going. Thank you for what you do!

[@dustupstexas]

Thanks for picking up the trash 🗑️😁

[@veramae4098]

Children make messes. Adults clean them up. 💕💕

[@scottjenkins6490]

Always plan for the overflow on a berm - preferably uncut soil that will not erode like excavated. Also learn and understand basics on sloping and compaction will help you. When you build your next berm strip the base upper layer soil off first getting to limestone. Then backfill with as much clay as possible and track in, 6-12” at a time. This will help prevent erosion undercutting. Compact the sides of your berm running them over, aim for 3:1 slope on both sides

[@richardpoliah3632]

I discovered your channel a week ago and i binged it all. Love what you're doing. Keep at it. Share your journey. It's inspirational. You are a steward of the environment.

[@craigwagner763]

The most fun you can have, piddlin on your property.

[@scottbillups4576]

Good job for wearing PPE. Its really necessary, and rarely mentioned on homesteading project videos. Yeay you! I have seen overflow-designs take 2 directions. 1) burried pipe through the bottom of the damn, and 2) a large-rock spill-over pathway on one side of the damn. Pipe - this is typically 1x, 2x, or 3x 4" pipes burried under the damn, about 2-ft above the downhill land. After the damn is built, you add vertical 4" pipe to up to 18" below the top of the damn. This sets the height of the water before the overflow pipes operate. Spill-over - this is typically a low-point on the top of the damn. it says "spill-over here, when you have to". The spill-over path has large rocks that won't get displaced when the water flows, and so you don't get errosion. Most damns I see have both pipe and spill-over devices, because desserts are known for flash-flods.

[@jbtcajun5260]

When I built my fish farm the Soil Conservation service made my topography maps with cut depths and yardage to be moved. Written plan is good a detailed written plan developed by a man with a PHD and its his passion better.

[@dustupstexas]

I spent this week working in RHEM and Drone Deploy estimating my cut and fill for a 100 year rain event

[@herbal.agency]

Just dig a hole all you need is a laser transit and some stakes..

[@jbtcajun5260]

@@dustupstexas great being able proceed with confidence.

[@WrenchesToRiches]

Mr Overton, I love everything about this channel and what you are doing. I watch your channel like it is a TV show. I wish that I could make such an impact as you. I wish you success!

[@JakeMager586]

Really looking forward to see where this series goes!! I live in Utah and hunt turkeys in the desert - where I go hunting is amazing because a river runs through and it provides all the water to the surrounding plants make this luscious green forest in the middle of the desert. Going to be pretty amazing to see what you pull off!

[@worldrider9087]

I am in Europe. After watching the good that you bring to Earth, I think I am actually happier and more grateful than most people who live in Texas in terms of the greening-effort.

[@rapanovela]

This video makes me happy 🔥🔥

[@gideonporter537]

Hope you keep showing us your progress for years to come Shaun!

[@seemabmubarak]

A big step up Shaun. As a Civil Engineer I suggest putting rocks one both sides and on top to prevent it from washing away.

[@dustupstexas]

I'm considering a double sided spillway. The main issue is going to be how I'll load the gravel

[@seemabmubarak]

@@dustupstexas you can put 1 foot or 9 inch diameter pipes as a spell way.

[@seemabmubarak]

@@dustupstexas Shaun. What do you mean by Load the gravel?

[@olsim1730]

​@@seemabmubarakhe only has a dozer

[@Nasalies1969]

this will cause erosion on the exit side, a wide plain and gentle fall is better and can be created easily with dozer....no expensive pipes required@@seemabmubarak

[@eslnoob191]

Awesome! I've watched a couple other channels from ranches in Shaun's area, and one guy (Timeline Ranch) has built an impressive pond which also feeds into a well.

[@dustupstexas]

I started watching his channel. His pond is 17 feet deep. I assume it's on limestone if it's that big

[@lobotomie66]

Finally - machines are working!!!!

[@Gregg29407]

Very exciting to see you using the bulldozer to start work on your plan! I'd love to also see an update on your sandbag shelter that you're building when you get a chance.

[@mathiasfriman8927]

Really cool to see a large structure taking shape. Exciting to see what happens after a big rain event. Just remember to plan an overflow route that doesn't put too much pressure on the built dam wall. My suggestion is to build a drainage/culvert some way back from the wall, that runs on the side and exits a bit downstream. Hard to explain in short text though.. 😊

[@davk]

Great job Shaun! We are all curious now about the effect after the first rain, and second. And third , and...

[@carterhicks7441]

This is amazing, I can't wait to see where it goes in the next episode. Keep it up Shaun, you've got a great attitude, you'll go far with it!

[@BarqB]

Probably should put a culvert across damn at what you consider to be desired maximum water height so it can spill through it in case of flash floods. water running over it will just wash/erode the damn away

[@Maplenr]

One of my favorite channels now. Can't wait to see the future progress

[@Jonas-uh7bb]

I am glad us the normal people are taking on this issue. Its inspiring to see that many people are using their land to restore nature in the face of climate change and natural disasters ❤️ i am from south Germany and we are gonna use some land we have left to restore the water levels

[@yvonroy5467]

Good God, yessss ! you're doing a pond. Use tarp, géotextiles, you need accessible water. Water that seeps in the ground is rapidly lost in such a dry and large area. Keep the water by covering the pond with floating balls or tarp to stop evap and use it to irrigate your first plantation around the pond that will provide shade to the water. In a desert, you need to preserve water. Some use buried pottery to stop water to seep too fast too deep. Cheers.

[@joecaldwell4398]

I've learned after years of having to maintain my road, that you have to build a road. When you cut a road you have just made a new water channel.

[@dustupstexas]

Yes. They need to be elevated

[@iam4iamWe]

I'm enjoing watching your progress.

[@RisingFenix_Experience]

I can see The Confidence building more and more with each video, but this video you too it to another level❗️ Keep killing it‼️

[@MaxBrix]

I had the same dream. Making it real is awesome. I can't wait to see this in 10 years.

[@kenbrown5217]

I just discovered this channel a few weeks ago and am not yet caught up to this point in time, got a couple more episodes to go. In the beginning I said to myself too bad there's not enough water for beavers here, now you're building the dam. You are the beaver! Stay busy! Ken

[@user-ts9nq5zw2j]

Never give up.

[@1mistymorn1]

Yep. I think the sandbag idea is a good one.

[@javierhugovaldezofficialch8417]

That's a great start. Nature will guide you once the rains come in. It will drain pretty quickly at the start, but after a couple of downpours, and if there's enough clay, it should hold water for longer periods. Great Job. Moving right along.

[@bigfootsboggybottomlodge4954]

When you think you have the right size overflow pipe, do 4x or more, and that still probably won't handle some of the storms that are coming. if/when it fails the road will be impassable till fixed. been there done that.... 👍

[@tdu2supersport]

great, excited to see it work!

[@stephenschwake524]

Looking forward to seeing this after the first rain that falls upstream.

[@sandmanxo]

The best thing about this channel is a lot of it can be applied to our central Texas acreage that I will soon be living at full time. It's greener than the desert but still not that much rain and I'm working on a way to make sure there is plenty of water for our garden and animals.

[@mlindsay527]

Quite a challenge! Good luck! Looking forward to seeing it progress!

[@PsychicIsaacs]

Looking Good! My comments (I have successfully built these kinds of check dams on my own land and I've had them fail as well!) ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS CONSTRUCT A SPILLWAY TRENCH!!! If you think that sewer pipes will deal with the overflow, you are VERY MUCH MISTAKEN!!! They get blocked, they get clogged and before you know it, your dam will have over-topped and failed! You can install the pipes when building the dam, but if you install them later, you'll make a weak point in the dam wall and this will cause you problems. Maybe install the pipes on the next dam? Just Sayin'... Around here, the NUMBER ONE REASON for check dams failing here, not installing spillway trenches or not installing sufficient capacity on my spillway trenches! Best of all is to construct TWO Spillways, one at either end of your check dam, one slightly higher than the other. Construct them so that they deposit the overflow well away from the foot of your dam wall, or the overflow will soften, erode and undermine the base of your dam. One of my other main problems has been under-estimating the volume of water that can flow down my valley during a storm event. I learned that one evening when, during a storm that deposited 4 inches of rain within just a few hours, the stream began to roar like a freight train! My house is just uphill from my creek valley, I hightailed it down there to see that my tiny trickle of a creek was now a roaring rapid that I could not safely cross! I was busy until the wee small hours, deepening and widening my pitifully inadequate spillway trench with a spade, in a race against time before the dam filled and began to spill through the spillway! I had time, this dam was about 12 to 15 feet deep and had a huge capacity, but I knew it would fill, it would spill, and if my overflow was not capable of holding the torrent I saw coming down the valley, the dam wall would over-top and I'd lose it! Boy did I pray to God for help, working in the dark, in the pouring rain, by the light of my headlamp! But I saved my dam and when the spillway began to spill, it kept spilling for months (although not at such a torrential rate!) That night, the sewer pipe that drained the culvert on a nearby creek valley blocked with branches, the whole valley flooded with about 15 feet of water and the Municipality had to send excavators buckets to clear the blockage, or the water would have overtopped the culvert and possibly damaged the bitumen road that ran across the top of it! The culvert was made of heavy rocks, so would probably have survived, but you never know. Never, ever under-estimate the power of running water, especially in the form of flash floods and torrential storm events! I did lose a smaller check dam on that night, upstream, but I didn't realise it until the following day when I was checking the valley. I was so busy saving this main dam that I had no time for this smaller dam. And how did I lose it? I lost it because I didn't make the spillway big enough, it overtopped and that (as they say) was the end of that! Whatever size of spillway you think you'll need, make your spillway three times bigger and you'll probably be okay! And watch it like a hawk during its first major storm event, be there, on site, camp out just upstream of it and on the "town" side of the creek! Also, line the inside and perhaps also the outside of the dam wall with rocks, and plant the outside rocks like a giant rockery with creeping desert plants such as pigface (lampranthus) and ice plant. This will help to prevent erosion of your dam, especially if you get a flash flood! The roots of these creeping, trailing plants will help to bind the dam wall and their canopy will help to reduce the impact of raindrops. It is also best to have a 30-to-45-degree grade on the internal wall instead of a more vertical wall, I have built almost vertical inside wall dams and so far they're holding well, but they are not as strong as an inside dam wall with a 30-to-45-degree, sloping gradient. The base of my main check dam, the same one I worked so hard to save all those years ago, is now permanently damp and I have planted it with mint, potatoes, canna lilies and also a Lombardy Poplar. I also planted some boysenberry vines into the top of the dam wall and they have taken root and are cascading downwards. Other plants planted on or around the dam wall include Century Plant (Agave americana), Opuntia ficus indica, kangaroo apple (Solanum laciniatum) rye grass, Kentucky bluegrass, fescue (these grasses were in a commercial lawn mix that I scattered on my dam wall) etc, so there is now quite a pretty garden there! The roots of all these plants help to stabilise the dam wall and most of them are also edible, even the canna lily, which produces an edible and delicious shoot! I hope these lessons save you a lot of heartache and trouble. God Bless, I'll Speak With You Soon... kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZWvaJeqorh5erM

[@dustupstexas]

Thank you for the feedback. My total catchment area above the dam is only 3.1 acres. I guesstimated the size in the video, but I'll be going back with actual calculations on the next trip. It's a good thing too because the dam needs to be quite a bit taller. That and I'll probably construct double sided spillways instead of pipes. The dam is about 4x wider than the height, but will shrink to 3x by time I raise it to the intended height

[@knoll9812]

​@@dustupstexaspipes and spillway Pipe are cheap if placed while raising the dam. Spillway us the safety valve if needed Ultimate safety valve is bliss out spillway. leave a large groove in the top of dam and surfaces. Full the groove with a weaker material. If flliding really major it will wash out the weak nateriayand leave the rest of the dam. However at the end of the day you are doing the work and I am an sitting on my arse typing

[@TL13579]

I discovered this channel recently and couldn't help but go through all the videos! I really appreciate the time and energy you're putting into this project. Quite brave to make all those mistakes on camera, it would have been easy to just not bother with it all. Looking forward to following along the journey for however long!

[@asherrey]

YES! Thankyou. I knew you could do it.

[@louisd586]

Great effort Shaun!!!

[@Nasalies1969]

ok without an overflow it will wash away,, carve an overflow (wide Chanel) from one side of your Dam to the other about 2 feet below the wall height on the hard packed ground, direct it so that when the excess water returns to Valley, it does so at least 15 feet behind the wall to avoid it eroding away from the other side. if you want to retain the water for longer cut a key (deeper the better) in front of wall and fill with clay and then push clay up the wall over key and both banks, then use your dozer tracks to compress it all. the longer it sits the deeper it goes into the water table. if you have room for more link them.... chains of ponds do really well in supporting the next and previous ponds as well as attracting beneficial wild life. ducks for example seal ponds well. trees will respon reall well being close to water deposit (just don't plant them to close to your wall) and will throw shade over water t reduce evaporation. use heaps of mulch to protect roots while establishing.you can speed 4hat progress up by digging out a few feet under where you place them to losen soil for roots to easily descend. try to establish and water them 6-8 weeks prior to rainy season so they can really take advantage of the season you may need to shade them depending on species you have available. I live in dry country in Australia and the above works here. my Dam has water all year long now, the seasonal creek nearby only flows for about 6 weeks a year. cattle will help with grasses very small number for that country( 2 lol), but control where you keep them over night their waist is brilliant when concentrated for feetilsing and reseeding, change location once a week that's 52 Hot spots of new life every year, increase numbers as land improves. they will need some shade so build a smallish shelter for the heat of the day.....on wheels so you move it around is ideal

[@chezhelene2409]

Thanks for that last encourament to do whatever can wherever we are.

[@sweethomefarm1]

Exciting progress

[@denisebennett3144]

Great job with the dozer. Can’t wait for everything to be in place and for it to rain.

[@MrOdilonMoura]

This is the best episode so far!!! I like your tenacity, and the approach to learn from experience. Keep Up the good work!

[@patrickmurray8451]

This is significant because it is going to hold a substantial amount of water now. good going shaun

[@devdeuce93]

Love to see it!

[@johnowens5342]

I'm in Tamaulipas right now and went to look at some land the other day. Because of family ties to the area, the secondary gov has no issues with my being here. It is not quite as dry as your area and there is a lake to one side of the property. If I can get a good price I'll get it. Just 9 hectors so not even close to your project but it still has lots of potential. Your dam is epic, so glad to see you taking advantage of the large water events for long term hydration.

[@dustupstexas]

Secondary government is a nice way to put it

[@grantpatillo]

I really appreciate your Transitions sunglasses. Keep it up man.

[@Scotty-kc1co]

tnxz for taking the responsility we all should take ! greetz from the netherlands, europe.

[@Erica-yr3gf]

What you do is amazing. Bless your heart and thank you.❤❤❤

[@davidphan6499]

Love the music

[@brammutje15]

i really like that youre involving the community in this project a lot, for texans sounds great

[@tomhuitema2068]

Can't wait to see a video of it filling up!

[@DevDoesAThing]

Good morning shaun great work so far. cant wait for the next update!

[@reedjacksonmaccom]

6:06 editing brilliance. well done I want one

[@dustupstexas]

Thank you

[@FinanciallySavvyParent]

I love that you added the part about a plan. Good for you. So true. Keep up the great work. I love watching what you are doing! Stay safe. I hope you are carrying.

[@EscapeePrisoner]

Exciting stuff.

[@honbrolo]

Experience threshold reached. Rank up achieved. Level 1 --> Level 2 Dessert Terraformist. Achievement Unlocked - "Dozer Daddy" *see's self out* lol I love these so much ^_^

[@channelfour6098]

Looking forward to this project don’t give up even when the times are tuff!!

[@EndlessMahogany]

Thank you Shaun

[@leandrore]

I’ve been following you since the start and it is amazing to see how much more confident you sound in your videos mate, keep up the great work!

[@runswithscissors2210]

i am really looking forward to seeing that pond fill up

[@cryptowolf-zf3fs]

I have seen damns in that desert fail before, even when using benzonite clay. I am not being negative or critical but be prepared for that damn to fail. The water from the Monsoons is an almost unstopple force.

[@mselkee]

A spot on assessment. Watching neighbors doing essentially the same operation over the years ( with a sizable culvert drain which got plugged by debris) loose all their work in a few minutes drove home the need for an engineered spillway to relieve flow from outlier events. The residents downstream were none too happy I might add. The same folks almost lost their upstream dam during the same event (even with an engineered spillway) because they, being absentee owners, left the drain closed in hope of filling their wetland restoration project. I could feel that dam trying to move as I walked across it to open the drain gate! For additional dam integrity, perhaps doze another 10 foot fill strip on the down stream side to widen the base, lower the bank angle and allow track compaction of the banks? In my local travels I pass pond catchment structures similar to yours constructed by cattlemen that have all failed. I am fortunate to have a professionally constructed (by a mining engineer) catchment basin that is also spring fed that is pushing 55 years old with no issues.

[@jhrdlr]

I had a 14 acre ft reservoir rebuilt. With out proper solid compaction and a primary spillway that will not erode and a secondary spillway when the primary is overwhelmed this dyke is bound to fail. I live in a semi arid region were we get 95% of our rainfall in 3 months. When it rains it rains hard.

[@milzuv1575]

Happy New year. Thanks for your vidéo.

[@BreakingBarriers2DIY]

Is there any need to consider flooding that might overwhelm even the pipes planned? I was wondering if it might be better for the “low point to be over top of long standing undisturbed soil to one side of the bank? That way two advantages if flooding should ever reach that level: it would be travelling farther and therefore less steep hence less erosion…and the more solid long-standing soil would erode less.

[@peperillon]

This kind of dam failure is not the most obvious to me. What bother me would be the downstream impact.

[@ziaarastu7519]

The greater the amount of water you retain and recharge in your land, the more rapidly your forest will flourish! #KonnektHub

[@akocbibbo]

Really inspiring to see a lot of work getting done with the dozer!

[@trollimusprime8521]

Another fantastic update! Loving the dozer content

[@TigerStike]

love this series

[@baronwhite4631]

Glad you're still on this journey man. Keep learning.

[@simonsays2774]

Very cool video. It's going in the right direction. After that you still have to stabilize it. Plant grass, trees, etc. to stabilize the wall. But it already looks really good.👍

[@moonshinefuel]

Nature likes to reclaim what it created. This will be interesting.

[@Edekje]

Shaun Overton is growing into a living legend...and we shall call him Terraformer Shaun !

[@swimspud]

Great confidence boost for you! You did really good operating the dozer, shallow cuts and working in the compacted lifts. It awesome to see the change in you after having a plan to work towards

[@magvegas]

amazing before and after shot most perfect camera positioning I've seen on yt ever

[@hkkbs]

In admire your struggles Shaun!

[@grahamhutton1633]

Really enjoying your work Shaun. I live vicariously through your videos.

[@heronthere]

Curious to see it after a rain. I can't seem to get compaction (stability) without moisture, but my geography is different. If the soil is powder i have to move off of the project. Great work!

[@dustupstexas]

The rocks and gravel are a blessing and a curse. The material naturally cement ls after it's moistened. I'll need to run the dozer across the top after the first few rains to make sure it's really compacted

[@Ifyouarehurtnointentwasapplied]

Looks like a good start the more of these you build the better each will work ✌️👏👏👏

[@anthonyrampolla3884]

My man! Finally with some machinery of your own, glad to see it. It pained me to watch you do it any other way. A tip for you though, try not to turn it too sharp, more of a k turn unless absolutely necessary. A machine that heavy will walk right off the tracks, and then you'll probably need another machine like a mini ex to be able to service it like a crane

[@volodymyrm.3848]

Thank you for sharing the progress with us and wish you best of luck with what you are doing!