it just doesn't look that big. I'm pretty good at judging distances in yards, but I am not good at acreage. Bear in mind, the tank is at capacity and it appears it was at capacity when those images on pg. 3 were taken. Those trees are usually on dry land and the water rarely gets that close to the road. 2.5 acres seems a bit much, but I can't argue the scale on those images if correct.

No prob.

Sounds like a good excuse to haul the BBQ pit and make a day out of it.

Seriously, lets do it in september and make a dove hunt out of the down times.

I know this may be a stupid question but would the position of the tank have shifted at all in the past 80-odd years? Also, is there any way of telling how it was lost? If he was skipping rocks from the side closest to the road while throwing toward the pasture, it may give you a starting point.

Also, is there a way to section off the tank like a chess board so that you can methodically search (or re-search) given sections? Is scuba diving with a metal detector the only way? What if the metal detector's field can't penetrate the amount of silt burying the ring?

If the scuba efforts fail will you vacuum the bottom with a large diameter suction line and put a sluice with grating at the discharge?

I'm up for some pond swiming, i got a snorkle set.

I am up for a good pond swimming. I will bring some girls. I figure if I bring some hotties, next thing you know, we will have 45 guys out there "looking for a ring".

i'll seriously go just for the hell of it. this would be awesome

Have scuba will travel!

Awesome thread.

If you do it from about mid-late July or later, I'll be back from Baghdad. I'd love to help. I can bring a (land) metal detector, a sharp-shooter shovel and a guitar to provide entertainment to all the mud-caked ring-hunters.

you ain't kidding, that is one tough looking son of a gun

nm

[This message has been edited by Ag_of_08 (edited 4/9/2008 2:31a).]

yeah, my pop would tell you that he was tough. He served as county judge in Henrietta, Texas and you sure didn't want to get in trouble when he was on the bench. I know for a fact that the tank does have a tendency to dry up (not completely) provided there's a drought for any length of time. It would not be good for the farmers and ranchers, but it would for ring finding. That would make the most sense and I'll just have to monitor it to see what it does. As far as finding a starting point for the ring - it can only be assumed that he was swimming near the dam as it is the deepest part of the tank, but there is no way to know, just a hunch. It's possible that the tank may have shifted, but not enough to foil the search in my opinion.

Well make sure you announce to texags at least 3 weeks in advance. I'll try and make it up there. We could get a carpool together to help global warming while we are at it.

I'm up for helping out. I come only with myself, but I can swim and don't mind playing around in the mud.

I think he should've stared the tank down and it would've spit the ring right out. He doesn't look like someone that people joked with.

ttt

I will give you a hand especially if a dove hunt works out with it!

With the dry weather, one would think that the tank level has gone down considerably, which should make the search a tad bit easier.

quote:

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Also, is there a way to section off the tank like a chess board so that you can methodically search (or re-search) given sections?

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The easiest way would be to pound wood stakes or t-posts at equal increments on the perimeter, then string 1/4" nylon or poly rope in a grid pattern. I believe nylon will sink - if you were careful in your initial set up, you could feasibly have a grid on the bottom of the pond.

[This message has been edited by schmellba99 (edited 6/16/2008 8:46p).]

any new news on this?

still more then willing to lend two hands.

Any update?

One of the problems faced here is that a lot of times, during droughts where tanks dry up, the tank is dug deeper. If there's been ANY digging in that tank (and I'd bet there has), I wouldn't bother with all this.

Any update?

im in! ill snokel it. screw it. lets rock and roll. especially if i can dove hunt too.

I'll dive it, I just pulled my scuba certification. just have to say when where etc.

I read three pages before I realized this was a two year old thread... I feel dumb.

I'm normally an optimist but honestly I think his chances are slim to none of actually recovering this ring. Alot can happen in 90 years and unless he has extremely deep pockets I wouldn't worry about it.

I drove by the tank this Spring while Turkey hunting and it had very little water in it. In fact it may have only been about knee deep and you could walk all around in the base of the tank. It would have been the perfect opportunity to look for it. However, my Pop went to be with the Lord on May 9th and I haven't had the desire to do anything about it yet. I'm sure they'll be other opportunities to look for it at another time.

very sorry to hear about your Pop. He sounds like a great man that raised a great son.

As far as the Ring: just say when emkat. I speak for myself, but I sure that others feel the same way. Just give the word if you ever want to go after it, and you will have a bunch of guys (and girls) at your side for help.

Say the word and I am sure you would get an outpouring of support from this group, me included.

Sorry to hear about your Pop

All you need is a loader and a giant sifter or a bunch of metal detectors.

Count me in!

I would assume that the window of enthusiasm is closing more quickly than the OP thinks.

I would do the simple things first. Metal detector around the perimeter of the tank.

Second, depth-finding survey of the tank.

If no one can be persuaded to do that, then there is no reason to trying anything more ambitious.

Where is it again? I think it would be an interesting project for a few Ags to try. I love challenges like this.

I'm certainly willing and eager to help. Though I have to be honest my area of expertise in finding Aggie rings with a metal detector is on dry land not ponds.

This has front-page news written all over it.

I think with the Aggie network, you can find this ring...

...you should at least try.