Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam Advantages of a drain?

Mike Otto, our leading pond construction authority, says he almost always recommends a drain pipe. If installed properly, a pipe won't leak. With a drain, you can...lower the pond to manage some invasive plants; drain 'bad' water off the bottom; move water to another pond below; let water out if big rains are imminent...there are many other reasons to have a drain. Of course, there are fishery reasons to have a drain, as Dave Davidson explained above. You may want to harvest some fish, or alter the dynamics, or do a partial harvest, or remove fish to restock, or....lots of reasons to have a drain. There's only a few reasons not to have a drain. If your contractor doesn't know how to install it, your pipe could leak. If your pond is an excavated pond, you don't want a drain pipe. If most of the depth of your pond sits below natural ground level, don't install a drain pipe.