Pond draining ideas

[Merlot]

Although I have done some research into this, I wondered if some of you have any experience with draining a small pond. Some people really recommend not disturbing/cutting into the dike, but using a siphoning system to remove most of the water, perhaps a couple 2 inch diameter pvc or flex hose of some type.. The pond was constructed 60-70 years ago is in real need of a re-dig to get built up sediment over the years.

After water is drained, we endeaver to have contractor come in and clean out/deepen the pond. Thanks for whatever feedback you can give. Pond 200 feet long, 100 feet wide and now about 6 feet deep....the old timers tell me it was 12 feet when originally dug.

Given we have no people available to check on a gasoline powered trash pump, a siphon system seems a viable way to go. Thanks.

[G-Man]

A 2 in pump with 5 hp motor will drain that in about 16 hours. I drain my minnow pond ever 2 to 3 years, its only 50 x 70 but 10 ft deep, it takes 8 hours to drain to 1 ft deep. I do it to clean out as many crayfish and minnows, snails, and clams as possible. Siphoning will work but it's much slower.. a couple of pumps with no discharge hose on them will work the fastest, and can run 4 hours or so on a tank.. bigger pumps more gph.. perhaps a combination will work best for you... I'd start buy digging down outflow lower if your having contractor come in and clean his equipment can easily fill back in..

Edited May 6, 2016 by G-Man

[G-Man]

You would still need someone to check the syphon to make sure it's still working.. and a 1 in or 1.5 in water line black pipe is about all you could prolly get to syphon easily.. would take days if it didn't plug with mud ,leaves, ect..

[Merlot]

You would still need someone to check the syphon to make sure it's still working.. and a 1 in or 1.5 in water line black pipe is about all you could prolly get to syphon easily.. would take days if it didn't plug with mud ,leaves, ect..

I did start a siphon with 2 - 75 foot lengths of 1 inch plastic pipe on July 2nd. A friend will check on siphon in a couple of days. Do not think I will have a plug problem. I stuck the ends of pipe into an old egg crate and covered with some scrap window screening and floated out to spot where it needed to be , then sunk the crate by shooting out the balloon float with 22

[Merlot]

pond down about 2 feet after 11 days of draining...End of July should be down another 2 feet.