Spring and fall I dont have any concern about water flow to keep levels up. If I do successfully pump out some muck there will still be more water when levels do go down when its very dry.
Sounds good to me. Maybe it is time to try a little pump/dredge experiment.
I would just pump it right out on the bank and see how well your lifting system works, the consistency of the discharge, etc.
After you work out the very first steps on your "learning curve", then you can try your process on a larger scale.
If you are NOT moving fill with just your hose suction, you may need a second person with a rake, hoe, paddle, etc. working just ahead of your intake to fluff up the sediment into the water column so you can suck it out with the pump.
P.S. I was typing while FireIsHot was posting. I too am worried about how much debris can effectively pass through your trash pump. Both short term (effectiveness) and long term (pump wear and damage). That is why I posted to try a very brief initial test of "proof of concept".
