Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat My Pond Project

I'm wondering if someone has any advice on a valve I can use to manage the water level in my ponds.

Unfortunately, there is not enough watershed to refill my ponds during the fall after a dry summer.

I dug a ditch to the pond from neighboring farm fields, and that filled the ponds up in 1 day after a good rain. I know field runoff is not the best option, but it's all I have.

With the water at it's highest level, the ponds are still 6" lower than I want the water level to be in the spring.

What I need to do, is have a culvert with a shut-off valve in it. In the fall, I open it, let the ponds fill up, then shut the valve. Then let them fill up with snow melt in the spring, this will get the ponds to their maximum level. Then as summer rolls around I'll start to lose water via evaporation. Re-open the valve the next fall, etc.

I have a length of 15" dia plastic smooth bore culvert pipe. I have been unable to find some type of gate/butterfly vale to use with it.

I have found a 10" dia PVC butterfly valve, but it is $700, and just not the right application for it.

Any ideas?