Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Need help from South Carolina, spillway leaking

valkmancarl, welcome to the forum!

You guys really got hammered by the rain!

I wouldn't touch the old drain pipe. My thoughts are there is too great of a chance if it failing, and it would take the whole dam with it if it did. I would

I would do some research into a siphon drain. That can be put into the pond without disturbing the dam too much, if any, and an 8" siphon drain (or even a 6") will move a LOT more water than the old 8" standpipe type drain.

I don't know for sure how to fix the spillway, but I don't know if 200 tons of clay will be enough. The problem with the riprap is that if you get another heavy rain event, the riprap will most likely end up all piled up at the bottom, like the concrete.

But, definitely get it worked on asap. If the leak gets larger it could blow out the whole dam there at the spillway and the whole pond could be gone.

I'm assuming the emergency spillway routes the water away from the toe of the dam?

If you could swing it, I'd get the clay packed back in there, have the contractor put the cement in like he's planning (with rebar of course) but also tie that into a concrete spillway instead of the riprap - all tied in with rebar. Also put in the plastic pipe siphon drain - that will keep a lot of water from going over the emergency spillway.

I'd go talk to your counties NRCS office. They should be able to tell you how much watershed feeds your pond, and what size the primary overflow pipe should be.