To say there are multiple issues doesn't even come close... Currently the ditch that is supposed to take the excess water from the pond to the county system has areas higher in elevation than the desired pond level as it has been neglected for 12 years. The culvert is about 1/3 full of mud. The way the system (doesn't)works right now is the water doesn't start flowing towards the county drain until the pond level is 4-6" above desired level. There is very little fall from the pond to the poorly situated pickup at the county drain so the water does not move quickly out of the pond. If the rain is substantial, the pond continues to fill and breaks the bank directly south (down in the pic) and migrates across the yard towards a swale that eventually directs water to the county drain at the road. This is not a designed overflow path.
Maybe important info to the discussion. The water source for the pond is the local water table and surface runoff from 5 plus acres. When the water table is high like spring and fall and it rains the pond can overwhelm the culvert/ ditches ability to remove water in hours. I think the system needs to have a better ability to handle rapid inflow/outflow of water.
My thinking behind a spillway configuration is that is should be able to handle vast amounts of water without getting plugged by fallen leaves or muskrats and all of the water will go into the designated ditch. The attached image is kinda the picture I had in my head. Step in the middle to set the desired pond level and if that is overwhelmed then the pond can go over the higher part, but all being captured by the ditch.
My apologies for being confusing, I so new to this that I don't have a handle on just how much I don't know yet.
