Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam Pond/Dam Issues

The best fix if you want to get rid of the fish, start over and clean out the pond bottom is to drain the pond, dig a trench thru the dam and move all the muck to the back side of the dam. If you have good clay soil available on site, the contractor should dig a core trench thru the length of the dam, tying it into good soil on each side of the dam. That will fix the problems caused by any rotting tree roots and the muskrats, plus give the pond a fresh start.

Ideally you don't want any trees growing on the dam that are over 4" dia. Muskrats should be dealt with when they first appear.

If you just dig a trench thru the dam with water in the pond, the rushing water will erode a big hole in the dam, and flood down the ravine with no control. Pumping it dry gives you some measure of control on how fast the water leaves the pond. (If the ravine is deeper than the pond bottom, you can set up a siphon and not have to run a gas powered trash pump.