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[SpiralHero]

So, I got a fortress with a lake biome, and I wish to build a grand island citadel. Building up is easy, building down however...

is it possible to make enough pumps to clear some digging space, or is it futile?

[Ashery]

I recall seeing somewhere, think it was somewhere on the DFMA, a fortress where someone had over a thousand power being used for a single level of screw pumps with the intent on doing something similar to what you're trying. The water he was moving was only one z-level deep, however, so it was just that one level he had to move. Multiple water levels would be an absolute bitch due to the need for extra space on the top level and the fact that you'd now be dealing with pressurized water. Not to mention the fact that you won't have a stable foundation to build the second level of pumps and even if you manage to build one, have fun moving all of the screw pumps on the first level back one tile in order to move the water from the second level of pumps into the main lake.

In short: It's the perfect thing for some dwarves to try to do

[Osmosis Jones]

Might I suggest pumping in magma to drop some obsidian down first, until you have a pillar that reaches the surface? This will give you a form of scaffolding you can use to build retaining walls.
Alternatively, extend the obsidian wall until you have closed off an entire section of your would-be fortress, and pump it dry, build your fort, and return to its original flooded state.

[Tormy]

I recall seeing somewhere, think it was somewhere on the DFMA, a fortress where someone had over a thousand power being used for a single level of screw pumps with the intent on doing something similar to what you're trying.

Perhaps something like this? 

[Ashery]

I recall seeing somewhere, think it was somewhere on the DFMA, a fortress where someone had over a thousand power being used for a single level of screw pumps with the intent on doing something similar to what you're trying.

Perhaps something like this? 

Like that, but the fortress I thought of had a significantly larger pumping area than that.

[Tormy]

I recall seeing somewhere, think it was somewhere on the DFMA, a fortress where someone had over a thousand power being used for a single level of screw pumps with the intent on doing something similar to what you're trying.

Perhaps something like this? 

Like that, but the fortress I thought of had a significantly larger pumping area than that.

Ah yeah..someone has posted an image about that on the forum, IIRC. I just cannot find it..

[Foa]

Reminds me of the waterfall damming, and major river damming.

I prefer collapsing large constructions.

[Lalandrathon]

Pumping can really only get you down 1 level of water, as trying to go down 2 levels causes the water calculations to stall dwarf fortress, or at least give it 15 spf. Another thing to note is that there appears there is no way to construct downwards, only dig. So, you may have to resort to lava. However, if the lake is only connected to the outside of the map by 1 z-level deep waterways, it may be possible to wall off the lake and drain it, though I have never successfully tried this myself.

[Pilsu]

Lakes might freeze, not too sure about that though

You can always drop magma into water or make an artificial lake

[Tulthix]

I wonder what would happen if you cast a huge obsidian pillar over the lake and then collapsed it into the lake.

[snelg]

I still find it kinda strange that it's not possible to build constructions downwards (stairs). I'd be really happy if this was added. 

[Fist_Of_Armok]

I still find it kinda strange that it's not possible to build constructions downwards (stairs). I'd be really happy if this was added. 

You can. b -> C -> d.

[Fossaman]

I once tried to drain an ocean bay; it would have worked, except that the waves seems to add water when they break. At least, the first level of it would have worked. I don't know if I could have made the second do so.

[Osmosis Jones]

You can. b -> C -> d.

That will build a down stair on the same tile as the dwarf, but it won't build anything below the tile. As it currently stands, the only way to build down (i.e. create a construction on a tile below the accessible one) is to either
a) flood with magma, quench it and carve
or
b) get to the bottom some other way and build upwards.