Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations My pond is draining!

Overflow pipe was plugged with heavy rains on the way, so I got my little john boat out there, ancored her down and
shoved a 3/4" sewer snake down and started a little flow going before the pipe seemed to disappear before my eyes!The
6" pvc pipe apparently failed and fell over starting my 3/4 acre pond (lake?) draining. I'm letting it drain down ( short of
scuba, I gots no choice!) to see the problem and was wondering what to expect, and, if there is anything I can do while
the water is down. There are some catfish and other small fish in it as the stocked trout were fished out years ago. It has
been sitting unmaintained for 5+ years. Any tips on fixing the pipe when I can see it? This is a branch fed pond with not
much water coming in.

I'm not a pond-drain or plumbing specialist, but it sounds like the elbow that joins your vertical riser to the horizonal outflow wasn't glued into position; possibly to allow the elbow to swivel, thus allowing water-level to be manipulated by adjusting the riser's top relative to the desired pond elevation. In any case, the weight of your boat (or you) may have been enough to dislodge the elbow. The riser and elbow may be laying on the pond bottom, immediately adjacent to the horizonal outflow pipe (to which the elbow WAS connected). Could this explain your experience???

I think so. I was very aware of side pressure but it went over without much of a fight. We'll see when it drains. Poor fish!

Don't panic. I have done this.
Monitor how fast the pond drops. When you have three to four feet left, you should see a vortex. That will allow you to find the draining pipe. As you wait, get in your boat, and see if you can fish out the piece of pipe that fell. Use a long fiberglass pole to locate it, then try to retrieve it, by rolling it with your pole. If that doesn't work, you might need to get wet. Sorry.
If you can retrieve the pipe, look at the bottom of it. It will either be broken, or smooth. If smooth, it slipped out of the elbow. If broken...it's broken. Sorry.
Nonetheless, when the water drops, if the pipe has simply slipped from its elbow, just re-insert it. Then, hammer a t-post next to the pipe, into the pond bottom mud, and wire your PVC pipe to the post, to stabilize it, and keep it from falling again.
As long as the weather is cool, your fish won't likely suffer. They may be concentrated, but they probably won't die.
If you have a water source, add water, after the pipe is back in place. If not, pray for rain. Sorry.
I'm optimistic things will turn out okay. Commonly, PVC pipe drains, in recreational ponds, don't sit flush on the bottom. They usually sit considerably higher. Besides, most "borrow pits" where dirt came from to build a dam, sit well below natural ground level, and water won't drain below that point, anyway.
Let us know what happens.

Thanks! Everything you have said makes sense to me and I have thought the same thing. It ain't the end of the world and the fix will be easier than I have imagined when I first saw it. You comments are very welcomed. Great Forum!
Herbert

Well, it's November.....how did your draining pond end? Did you get the pipe up? Was it broken? Did it rain? We are staying tuned...