Abaggs,

Do you live at your pond property?

I have seen reservoirs fed by small creeks get their spillways clogged by trees and flotsam that came in during huge rains. One almost had the dam get over-topped.

Priority #1 for the emergency spillway is to save the dam. I like your idea for Priority #2 to save your HSB.

However, I think you need a way for you to manually release your net if it gets so clogged with debris that the water level keeps rising. However, if you are not there, perhaps you can make a "break-away" net system? I have seen ranchers do that where they have fence lines that cross creeks. The fence survives the creek rising most of the time, but in a serious flood bringing trees and debris, a section of the fence breaks away. Better to repair your net system every few years compared to repairing your dam even a single time.