Pond Knowledge Needed

Nov 09, 2014 11:43:24

Hi
We have what looks like the remnants of a pond.
The dam has been washed out.
There are a lot of 20+ year old trees growing on the dam.
There is a spring that runs 10 months a year and a lot of run off into the pond area.
Our soil is mostly clay.
We would install a Monk/drain.

Do you all think it would be worth digging it out and fixing the dam?
Should i cut down the trees growing in the dam?

Here are some pictures from inside the pond looking at the washed out section.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Thanks! Kris

Nov 09, 2014 11:51:34

I would try to rebuild it!

There are differing opinions on leaving the trees on the dam. I think I would be tempted to leave them unless they are about to, or might in the future, fall over and uproot the dam.
If you get big rain events you might want to be sure there is a good spillway that sends the water over a place that won't hurt the dam.
Might even add some swales to distribute the water away from the pond.

Nov 09, 2014 12:44:53

Thanks Miles, I was hoping to hear that.
Makes sense about the trees and I love the swale idea.
You are right about the overflow, a monk probably would not be enough in a big rain.

Have to figure out how to explain Swales to the backhoe operator and talk my husband into letting me dig up that much of the pasture.
Will update when done.

Nov 10, 2014 06:52:49

When it does rain, does it hold water up to the point where the dam washed out?

A pond is essentially just a depression in the earth that holds water. My thought is if the remaining depression below the dam point holds water,
then it would be a clear sign that further work on rebuilding the dam would be worth the effort.
(Otherwise I would treat this area itself as a swale)

Dec 16, 2014 09:18:44

I dug some of the bottom out and it looks to be clay and is holding water. My husband and his friend (who is going to do the work) decided they wanted it down stream. So i will fill the gap up with brush and hopefully let that space settle out the silt and junk. It "should" happen in April. Thanks for the advice.

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