I rigged up a PVC siphon drain for my 1/3 acre very shallow pond. Basically it is PVC from the pond, up and over the dam, and then downhill. There is a cleanout in the middle of the dam at the high point. I put end caps on both ends, open the cleanout, and fill the entire length of pipe with water from buckets into the cleanout. I replace the cleanout cap, remove the end cap on the pond side, then remove the endcap on the downhill side.
It seems to work famously at first glance. Continues to run as the pond drains down anywhere from 6 inches to a foot. On my first try it continued to drain for about 24 hours. Then, inexplicably, it stops. I thought maybe algae was clogging it up, but then I put the end of the pipe on the pond side into a mesh box trap. I thought maybe air was seeping into the cleanout cap, so I slathered it with thick mud. Same result.
Any ideas?
Last edited by swampmusic; 03/16/15 04:58 PM.
