Originally Posted By: Rainman
I'm with esshup, you should very seriously consider installing a primary drainage system. You're not too far north of me and at the very least, you need an overflow "emergency" spillway at least 15 foot wide and 2 feet below the lowest part of your dam. The E spillway should also be cut to drain water completely away from any part of the dam to avoid dam erosion and a breech.

A one acre pond with only 10 acres of watershed is "borderline" on a drain, because you really need 15 acres of watershed to support one surface acre of water there.

If you still have your pond builders there, you should really consider installing a 4-6 inch siphon system. That will move a lot of water when in full withdrawal mode, is reasonably priced for the pocket book, and could save your nerves (and a dam breech) when you get those 10-15" rain events we are never supposed to have here.


Putting in a 12" pipe. The pipe came in yesterday, but the two 42"x42" seep collars did not arrive yet. They hope to have them Monday, and will put in the pipe on Tuesday.
They've also cut in an emergency spillway at both ends of the dam. They are 2' below the top of the dam. I'm getting fescue seed on those as soon as they get the pipe cut in.
I'm thinking with a 12" drain pipe (9" below the emergency spillways) and the two emergency spillways, I should be ok?
I can't add any more drainage area, without doing some serious earth work, so 10 acres will have to do it.
It's a deep one acre pond, with a 17' depth at the dam, and a pretty steep slope all the way around. We needed the dirt for the dam.
I'm sorry I gave you guys the impression that we were not going to put in the pipe, we've just been waiting for it to arrive. (Plastic)
They had some rain up there yesterday, but I don't know if it was enough to get any runoff.
Thanks for the replies..
Jeff

Last edited by SetterGuy; 09/06/14 07:30 AM.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023