Thanks jpsdad!
Your explanation sounds exactly like my system. I have a 6" pipe that runs from somewhere in the middle of the 16' deep pond through the dam, and approximately 25 foot drop into a receiving creek. At the edge of the pond just above the 6" pipe is a 2" pipe that 45's down to the water. I would call this the siphon vent pipe? This pipe comes from the edge of the pond into a 90 degree fitting and appears to go into the 6" pipe; I have not dug deep enough to verify, but that makes sense. Just before the 2" siphon vent pipe reaches the 90 degree to turn down and go into the main 6" pipe, there is a rubber boot connector that enables one to de-couple the pipe. I sort of suspect this was put there to enable you to manually fill with water and create a siphon? The rubber connector is in good shape.
By reading your reply, it appears everything should work, and I have heard it work before. Last Spring, I noticed my pond level rapidly dropping after a heavy rain. I could hear a whistling 100 yards away. Turns out a turtle had stuck himself in the 2" siphon vent pipe, preventing enough air to enter and break the siphon. Once I removed the poor dehydrated critter, the pipe quickly released the siphon and the water stopped flowing. By this time, the pond level had already dropped below the end of the siphon vent tube, so it took a while for it to fill back up to full pool.
We have had 2 major rains in the past 7 months and both have caused the pond to overflow the bypass overflow dam. Erosion is starting to happen, and there is not an easy way to get equipment or fill in to make corrections so I want to prevent more. This had me looking at if the system is still working properly, and it does not appear to be. I have tried for 2 days to create a siphon and I cant make it happen. Suspect I have a clogged pipe in the botttom of the pond?
How about the roto rooter man with a camera; any idea how far they can push a camera up a pipe while standing in a creekbed?
Thanks to all!
David in SC
