Very nice DL... I'm in the same boat with ours and have bounced around what you're doing (either with that device or just adding a T connect or elbow to raise it a couple feet). Ours is around 6' so just adding a couple feet would do wonders. However, I'm really close to just breeching our dam shortly and draining it completely. Then over the next year or two get in there with a dozer and/or excavator to work the thing over well. You have a little more room to raise than I do... otherwise I'd go your route for sure. Best wishes!
If you have the option to reset/start over, I would go for it! It will give you the opportunity to fix so many old pond issues, and remove many long term headaches. Getting rid of silt and nutrients, creating a 2 or 3 to one drop along the shoreline, adding structure pre-fill. Maybe consider a bottom draw siphon system too. If you do it, be sure and post about your projects, before and after. With lots of pictures! I've learned a ton of stuff from other pondmeisters that way. Good luck to you as well!
- Luke
