I have a 2 acre pond that no one visited for a couple years. The owner asked me to take a look and it looks like the beavers were hard at work for at least a year. The water level was about 4 feet above where it should be, and the overflow pipe was nowhere in sight.
The beaver are now gone. I searched the forums and saw how to create suction in a pvc pipe. I now have the water level about 2 feet below where the outfall should start.
It took some doing, but apparently the beavers buried the entire outflow structure under about 2 feet of sticks and mud...I have since dug that out.
The outflow consists of a 4' by 2' poured concrete box that funnels into a 24' concrete pipe (horizontal through the dam). The issue now is that there was a tree near the box, and the roots grew inside the pipe over the years.
I have cut all the roots at the pipe entrance, and cleared about a foot in. The problem is that the pipe is completely filled by roots, mud, and a moss-like plant that I have to peel away from the concrete.
As I am doing this as a favor, I know I could hire a plumber with an auger, but would rather do this myself (without spending much money). Besides, I like the exercise and a project to do myself. The only ideas I have are:
Slowly rake it out, using a tree trimmer to get further into the pipe to cut the roots.
Manual auger with extensions.
Any suggestions? I thought about fire, but I think I would do more damage to the pipe, and possible turn the mud into pottery... I do not have any heavy equipment.
Joe, just be very careful when you do clear out the pipe as the water as it can suck you through the pipe. During a hurricane a few years ago here an overflow pipe that was 60 inches in diameter got stopped by trash and the pond owner went out in a paddleboat to clear it out before the dam was breached. Short story was wife got to see him and boat take a quick ride. He was not hurt much but said he did not recommend his method.
Two ponds, 13 and 15 acres on the Mattaponi River.
I have already lowered the water level below the outflow pipe, so I can actually stand in front of it (pond-side) to try and clear the pipe. I'm looking for the best way to actually clear it. Any help is appreciated!
Too bad you cannot get dynamite at the corner hardware store these days.
Probably the best way is to find a shovel that is approximately the right bend radius, and sharpen the blade so it will cut through the vegetation. Extend the handle somehow so you can get it down there. Use a pressure cleaner to strip off the mossy plant, and remove the chunks you cut out.
Like liquidsquid said you'll want something to chop up and/or pull out the vegetation. From there a sewer nozzle on a pressure washer or maybe a trash pump with a fire hose nozzle to flush out the muck. The muck and dirt is the binder. Get that gone and the rest should be fairly easy.
joe, sprkplug (Tony) may have a heart attack, but I'd use a chainsaw and a sharp shooter. You'll really dull the blade with the packed dirt, but it may be worth $30 to do so.
Water is your friend when dealing with softening and moving dirt. I'd try to erode it out first. A trash pump and some sort of fire nozzle would be where I would start. Pressure washer would probably be too low volume.
Sharpshooter on the beaver would be my method provided you can do so in a reasonably safe manner.
Police officer that lives next door won't swear to it, but the beaver problem was "taken care of." As I only care that they are no longer around, I didn't ask questions...
Thanks for the ideas, I'll let you know how it turns out. I should be able to get back down there in the next week or so.
Police officer that lives next door won't swear to it, but the beaver problem was "taken care of." As I only care that they are no longer around, I didn't ask questions...
Young beavers show up in new areas in late spring after their parents run them off, young beavers are forced to find their own territory. At my dad's old pond we used to have beavers show up every 3-4 years.
I second Hesperus idea of the water with a nozzel to give it some velocity.
Also, I don't know how far the plug is up from the outlet, but if you could get a long rod or capped pipe and shove it up and try to ram a hole in the mess toward the top if possible or anywhere. Once you get even a small hole through, then water force from a trash pump would quickly erode out the remaining mud with the wood soon to follow. Or if you could do it from the top side. Just get a hole started and the water will do lots more having someplace to waste the wash out.
Those would be my suggestions. You have water near. All you need is a trash pump and a hose with a small opening to put it to use.
I was planning on going back down this weekend, however, I was able to poke a 2" PVC pipe through at about 12 o' clock. It has been raining for 3 straight days in Maryland, so I may give it a little time to see if it erodes some of the mud from the pipe. The blockage started at the inlet side of the pipe, and best I can figure, goes about 5 feet in. I cleared the first foot with a shovel, and will eventually need to go back. I don't have any power at the property, so it looks like it will be manual labor with a 4 prong metal rake and some branch clippers.
At times, I have used the slip hook end of a chain. It can catch on smaller pieces that have a crotch, bulge, or sidelimb in the wood so the slip hook doesn't come off. Then I lift it out(if its loose) or hook it to a tractor to pull. Tie short and lift up if you need to go vertical with it.
I am suspecting the beavers did the job. They like to raise water levels. A rental farm we farmed one time had a strip pit that was draining off into an old sinkhole from an old shallow coal mineshaft. I always thought it would be nice to plug that and keep the water from flowing out of the pit and into the shaft (only to create a sink hole somewhere else). But it was not my property so did nothing. Well a family of beavers eventually moved in, made a dam around the mine shaft sink hole that was at the edge of the pit, and raised the water level.
So if the pipe starts to open up from water flow after you got a small opening started, don't be surprised if the beavers "repair" your fix.
I vote for the gasoline powered trash pump and fire nozzle method too. I'd see if I could do it from the back side providing the water isn't over the inlet side. Wash out as much dirt as possible, pull sticks out with rake, repeat.