Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Somebody purposely breached my dam

Being directly over a drain pipe would make me first think erosion and soil collapse causing the trench....also wondering why a drain pipe if no outflow. (and there is clearly considerable outflow there) Sure seems to be a lot of effort to do some dangerous and malicious activity if there is no dam to breach.

My thoughts exactly. Once water is moving, no shovel needed. Your dam could be completely destroyed in minutes.

This will get a lot of "Randy's a %#@^&$#@% idiot", but it won't be the first time: could this have been the work of a friend that saw your drain pipe not handling the large amount of water, and he tried to do this to help you - not really understanding the long term trouble he could be causing???

For information purposes let it be known that I have cut a old dam on a 1 ac pond (on a property I purchased) with just a shovel before during a heavy rain event. I have seen a trench dug 1 shovel width like that turn into a hole big enough to park a vehicle in a conventional Dam when all was done.

This burns me up just thinking about it! To me it is like dumping a box full of fuel-soaked rags into a barn.

Even worse if the dam breached and did cause damage to another property, you would likely be liable for that damage.

Definitely track this SOB down.

I would be willing to bet it is someone who thinks you are to blame for a dried up well, or just plain jealous.

Evil...eco-terrorism.

I'll post a few pictures (if I can post photos correctly)to hopefully clear up some of the questions previously asked.

Picture looking from where water flows in (lower right corner). Water would need to raise several feet to back up onto anyone elses property as I'm still standing on mine taking the photo. Dam is in upper left corner.




Dam, overflow, breach,and water control device area (upper right). Note the hill water would need to flow up to escape, 4-5' deep on road surface.

Looking directly down the overflow and dam, breach at far end, road would be to the left.



Looking down dam length in the other direction, breach area in forefront

Got any overhead/satellite type pics?

I'm still not clear on what's all going on here.

Pond looking towards where inlet shot was taken, I was standing nearly in line with visable white roof. Dam area is tucked in the far upper right corner.





Looking down from the top of the road hill pictured in one of the previous pictures. Dam area on left side.

View from the house, overflow area closest (where water flows when it is over the road), the edge of the pond behind it.

Satellite view, dam area in green, inlet area at top of photo, road on right side, overflow long skinny BOW on bottom, house shop on very bottom

If the road is public, could someone have driven down it and thought by digging the trench they'd drop the water level below the road level?

I'll also attempt to answer some questions. I think the cut would have eroded enough to cause dam failure, I'd guess at the rate it was expanding far less than 24 hours. This dam was installed by the Michigan Wildlife Habitat Foundation under the direction of the NRCS, probably close to 20 years ago. There has been some type of dam in place for far longer than that. The emergency spill way was working well, I think this is only the 3rd time it has been used. I have considered cameras but don't know how I would hide them, they could just cut the tree down if spotted for easy removal. As rainman suggested my first thought was pipe collapse, perhaps muskrat damage and I wish it had been that but I'm still getting good flow out the 12" outlet pipe. I've spoken to most of my friends and neighbors and they understand how water erodes so it's very doubtful they were trying to "help" out. Average normal depth is 6'maybe a touch more so there aren't any fish at this time. The red outlines in the satview are where I'll be working the dragline. At the moment I'm waiting to speak in person with the local authorities.

Bryan

FWIW, you're about 90 miles as the crow flies from my place.

essup,

Just take a road trip, a couple hours and you'd be here. We could even do some muddin' on the road with your truck, I don't charge much for tows! Actually the road is a two track non-maintained county road, and it's lower than the dam outlet. The county likes having it there as I hold more water back than before it was installed. It's going to be an entertaining summer with that much water down there, lots of people getting stuck!

Bryan

We have a client near Holland. I'll give you a shout next time we have to be up that way.

I hope you get it figured out.

One thing for sure is, we do not need any more rain at this moment!

I wonder if it is someone who has been trying to use that road, and not pleased about being cut off?

FWIW If you wanted you could mount a camera that automatically sends the pics to your email.. You might be sacrificing the camera for answers the camera could also be camo'd and hidden only other option I see is catching in the act, and I'd doubt the guys out there causing destruction on a predictable schedule..

It's been pretty quiet this weekend. Did speak with the local authorities and tried to meet the cop down there but he didn't have any interest in meeting me. He said he would check it out when he was in the area, I sincerely doubt he has or will check it out. I've had this problem in the past with some cops on garbage dumping but I guess that is how it goes. Been pondering those who might be in my fanclub. There are a couple folks I had trouble with for trespass violations and property destruction but nothing in the last 1.5 years. Liquidsquid, I doubt it was someone who is angered the road is closed, sometimes it is unpassable for months at a time. If the dam weren't there it would be unpassable much more often. Thanks.

Bryan

How big were the footprints? This could be the work of some neighborhood kids playing in the rain.

Captain1,

There were one set of prints, nearly the same size as my 12's. I have one individual I need to have a discussion with which will happen on May 11, should be interesting. Thanks.

Bryan

Keep us posted. We'll even bail you out if need be!!