I have a farm pond that is about 1 acre in size. It has a dam at the end with an overflow pipe. The overflow pipe is clogged and the pond is washing out the dam. We need to drain the pond down below the overflow pipe to clear the obstruction, but have not been successful in trying this.
How do you suggest we drain the pond?
i drain one of my ponds that was about 2 acres last year with a trash pump that I rented. I think it pumped about 7300 gal. per hour. It took about a week to do it. but if the pipe isn't working that may be your only option. I think they make one that hooks up to a tractor that pumps more than that but im not sure.
Hopefully you will get lots of advice on how to do this. Following is my method that I have used several times including this past fall. There are lots of faster ways to do it, but I lower the level of my three acre pond about six feet in 3 weeks or so. If you need to do it faster you may want to try another method:
For years I have used a somewhat simpler method of syphoning. I have several lengths of 2 or perhaps 2 1/2 inch green plastic hose that I buy at farm supply stores. My pond is about three acres and when I draw it down in the fall I am in no particular hurry to drop the lake level.
It might take me three weeks or more to drop it four or five feet.
I attach a brick and a one gallon jug to the lake side end of the hose and, with one person standing on the dam, and another on an opposite bank or in a boat pull the hose out into deeper water. The reason for the person on the bank is to make sure the lakeside hose does not get pulled into the lake. If you don't have help you just stake one end to the bank so it isn't pulled into the water.
With the brick and jug, the hose is underwater but not on the bottom where it might pick up muck and stop the syphon. If you have someone on the bank they make sure the hose enters the water and fills rather than floats. If no one helps you all you need to do is make sure the hose goes underwater as soon as it is the water by forcing it under a heavy object. If you have a concrete block with holes in it and run the hose through it as it goes in the lake you won't have a floating problem.
When the hose is all the way in the lake and full of water, I put an adjustable plug we get where we get the hose and then pull the full hose over the dam until I am sure the dam side hose is lower than the lake side hose.
I then merely open the valve and let the water flow. I monitor the lake level each day and when I have removed as much water as I want I just pull the dam side hose up the back of the dam until the elevation breaks the syphon.
It may take a little longer than you have time for, but it often drops a couple of inches a day when the lake is full and then 5 or 6 inches when the level is down. The most I have dropped the water is about six feet in my pond which has 18 foot depth in spots.
At times I have started two of three shorter syphons and that really draws it down.
All together I have probably spent less than $150.00 for hose, clamps and plugs.
Bing
If you don't have a pump try gravity drains. Cut lengths of 1 1/4 inch poly pipe and run down hill below the level you want the water.
You can get 100ft roll of pipe for about $40.00
Bing beat me to it.
Also welcome to pond boss Gladcrest!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BING!!
4" siphon should drain it in about a week.
I'm presently using a trash pump I own myself. However a siphon like the one below can do it at least part of the way with out constantly putting gas in the tank of a trash pump.
This was posted previously on here by someone else so I cannot take credit. Sorry i forgot who it was. If anyone needs a 4 inch check valve I have one for sale.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=CA&hl=en&v=8lXl7tdJ7iY