Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Vertical overflow pipe question

Hi Folks,

I recently purchased my family's farm in rural Virginia. My grandfather had a 1 acre pond built in the mid 1970s. It has a massive dam, an emergency spillway, and a vertical metal pipe that is about 15' off the dam in the deepest spot of the pond, and connects to a horizontal pipe that runs under the dam (very very very deep in the ground) and out to the original creek. The metal pipe has a rabar "screen" on top to prevent large debris and has been working perfectly since the pond was built.

Here we are 40+ years later and I'm looking at that metal pipe head w/ screen sticking out the water and I have to ask myself - how much longer is that pipe going to last? I've been in scuba equipment to the bottom of the pond and it just goes straight into the mud. It is a heavy metal pipe that still feels strong - but one leak and that pond is going to start to drain.

Is this something I should be concerned about? If so, is it something I should think about addressing now? If so, what would I even do about this situation? Any advice would be much appreciated.

-Jeff