screen for pond overflow pipe

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I made a screen for the overflow pipe at one of our farm ponds today.  I went fishing Saturday and found the overflow pipe had something stuck in it causing the pond to be extremely full of water - the water level was almost 2' above normal.  This morning I had to get nearly 90' of oilfield sucker rod and run through the entire length of the pipe to get the clog out.  It turned out to be some sticks and leaves packed in by a muskrat most likely.  I built this screen for the inlet side and put it on this afternoon,  Thankfully a lot of the water had ran out by the time I got back so my hip waders were plenty tall.  The plastic pipe measures 11.5" O.D.  I used some 3/16 X 1 1/4" flat bar and bent it to my desired diameter.  I then welded on 4 tabs 5" long with 5/8" holes drilled in them.  2 pieces of 9/16 X 12" sucker rod were placed in the tabs and I welded washers on the ends of the sucker rod.  3 12" strips of the flat bar finished out my screen.  This will keep any critters from crawling through this end of the pipe when the water is down.I've decided to make an elbow to put on so the inlet will be facing the sky.  That should help keep any sticks or debris from floating up to the screen and plugging it off.  Right now I'm off work recovering from shoulder surgery so this was a full day project for me.  I'm about beat after this job today and I'm definitely feeling the pain! Attached Images
Reply:Nice work, But the only problem maybe would be that the beavers if any will love you for it. But other than that looks good. Red.Lincoln Percision tig 225 (Water cooled)Lincoln 350MP Power mig (with spool gun )Lincoln GXT 250 With Tig  ModuleLincoln Ln-25 Pro Dual PowerCentury 50 plasma cutter.now Lincoln .
Reply:I think the screen is a good idea.Never seen an overflow pipe set up like that(below the surface of the water) unless you were draining water that had backed up.Most of the ponds around here have a spillway that goes around the side of the dam.  USDA has made money available, if you qualify, to rebuild and improve dams.  I don't know if this is one of their acceptable designs, but I'm seeing more and more guys using this design nowdays.It's a ridgid piece of culvert that is embedded in the dam at an angle.  The water goes into it at a certain height.  I see the sense of it.  Instead of creating suction at the face of the dam, which erodes the dirt around the place where the pipe is, all suction is further out in the water so it doesn't disturb the earthen dam. Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I guess I sorta still favor a spillway though.  If you keep 'em cleaned out.I always wonder if the engineer dudes really know how to size the pipes right."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Thanks for the comments.  First of all, we have beavers in this area, but they prefer creeks and moving water.  I don't know of any in any local ponds here.  They sure can do a lot of work and create havoc in a short amount of time though.This pond was built back in the early - mid 60s.  No engineers were involved here - probably why it's still a good pond and favorite fishing hole of mine!!The overflow pipe is actually off to the side of the dam and it goes under the emergency spillway.  I've never seen the spillway have any water go over it until last year, when the original overflow pipe (10" aluminum culvert) partially collapsed and we got a 10" rain one night.Farmersamm - I've got it below the water level due to a lot of rain this week.  The pond was about 1' higher than normal when I was installing the screen. Here's a few more pics. from last September when I replaced part of the collapsed aluminum pipe.Pic 1 - taken from the dam - digging out the collapsed pipe, the emergency spillway is between the backhoe and my trailer on right side of pic.Pic 2 - just for scenery!Pic 3 - my 9 yr. old son Wyatt.  The inlet of the pond is between the trees and not really visible from here.  Nearly 60 acres of farmland drains into here.  The dam is to my 4 o'clock position as I took this picture.Pic. 4 - the backhoe is on top of the dam here.  The spillway and overflow pipe are are just out of the picture at about 3 o'clock position.Pic 5 - taken today.  This is the outlet end.  I drove some big spikes through the pipe to keep any critters from crawling in.  I managed to flush a raccoon out of here last fall! He wasn't happy either!! Attached Images
Reply:Forget the overflow pipe screen thingy, you've got a mini lake in your backyard that you can go fishing in?Wow. What do you catch in there?Scott
Reply:Thanks for the pics.You have beautiful ground there.Land here in OK is brutal.  Any downslope, and ya got a wash. Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by scott brunsdonForget the overflow pipe screen thingy, you've got a mini lake in your backyard that you can go fishing in?Wow. What do you catch in there?Scott
Reply:Originally Posted by Road WarriorScott, it's  not in my backyard anymore thanks to a divorce.  I now live about 25 miles away from it.  It's stocked with bluegill, largemouth bass, and channel catfish.Biggest bass I ever caught was 7 lbs., 21" long.  Was standing right over the o.f. pipe in a heavy rain and WHAM - this monster bass nailed my lure.  He's hanging on my wall now. Farmersamm - washing isn't much of a problem here - only hilly farmground that is tilled.
Reply:Originally Posted by Big Red One.Thats to bad about it not being in your back yard anymore........Found my tree for Bow hunting deer in. The Second pic was where i saw it...lol Red.
Reply:Here's a nice little shed I found last week 50 feet from the water.  I never seen him last fall though, maybe just passing thru?? Attached Images
Reply:Nice Case 580 ExtHoe! I have a Ford555E exthoe they are both real workersI don't have any ponds on my property yet. I have several springs that would serve a pond very well. I also very  several waterfalls with an excellent tubing run.  In the spring when the waters run hard its one wild COLD run Attached ImagesCo-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:I remember when I was a kid, we had a creek that ran through our backyard (well, down past the property line, and down some more!) we built a damn and had a pond in the creek about a meter/meter and a half at it's deepest.  It made a good hobby catch and release fishing pond until someone cleared our damn out.  It's funny, because I made a trip back to where I grew up last summer, and you could tell that nobody had been down near the creek.  It was actually grown over!  Times are changing, I guess.  We used to get in trouble for going near the creek until later years.  When we stopped getting in trouble for going near it, we used to fish and play in it!Last edited by mb_welder; 04-08-2009 at 08:27 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by specterNice Case 580 ExtHoe! I have a Ford555E exthoe they are both real workersI don't have any ponds on my property yet. I have several springs that would serve a pond very well. I also very  several waterfalls with an excellent tubing run.  In the spring when the waters run hard its one wild COLD run
Reply:Six months 1 day in FL the rest in upstate NY. I plan to eventually move up into my old 1795 farm house. Here's a couple pics 1st & 2nd pictures were taken  when I got the house 3rd & 4th were taken last year Attached ImagesCo-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Wow, that looks like a big old house and I bet you've got your hands full remodeling that.  It will pay off in the end though and you'll have something to really be proud of.  Looks like you're making some good progress with the new paint and windows.  How much work does the inside need?
Reply:I completely gutted the inside and re leveled all the original black walnut floors and beams. The house belonged to Clara Barton founder of the Red Cross. The original house has been added onto over the years. I put in all new electrical wiring, CAT 5E wiring for phone and intercom & satellite cabling to each room. New High Efficiency Heating and AC all zoned and computer controlled, High density spray foam insulation, Pella ThermaStar Low E windows & doors. And the house is a Home Performance with Energy Star and certified by the New York Energy Research and Development Authority as part of the New York State Energy Smart Program.  Meaning much is reimbursed by the state and with grants from the US Gov both for being a disabled vet and for restoring a historical  home.And each contractor participating in the restoration has to be Building Performance Instittute certified I hope to have the inside done this year.Oh total inside floor area is 4,692 sq ftLast edited by specter; 04-08-2009 at 10:25 PM.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Sounds like you've got a lot of the work done already.  I bet those floors were really sagging in a house that old.  How did you do the insulation?  Did you have the inside gutted and it was sprayed onto the exterior walls and studs and then "shaved" smooth?  You have officially hi-jacked my thread but I don't care!  Let's see some pics of the inside of it if you've got any!!
Reply:Yep completely gutted the inside then the contractor submits his plans to the state for the insulation. Once approved they come in clean the old walls and ceiling roofing, cover over everything with plastic then spray the high density foam. took them 3 days start to finish. I worked in that house last year when it was in the low 20's and only the sun was warming the house to 55F.sorry about the hijack guess it started with the backhoes, ponds and water falls , and now one very old house.I'll have to look for the rest of the pictures.TomCo-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:I've heard good things about the foam insulation but never talked to anyone that's had it done.  We're talking about building in 3 or 4 years and I think that's what I'll use.  We're leaning toward building a pole building house - walls 10" thick will hold a lot of insulation.  Won't take much to keep it heated as long as the kids can close the d@#n doors!!
Reply:Well that foam sure strengthens all the walls.  You wouldn't need 10" of this stuff.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Originally Posted by specterWell that foam sure strengthens all the walls.  You wouldn't need 10" of this stuff.
Reply:Hard to say cost per foot since in this house the walls were irregular spacing and wall thickness. Some wall had only 3 1/2' some other walls 7". Total cost of Insulation was $12,434 they did far more than 5,000 sq ft. They did all walls, ceilings, roof , crawl spaces, Box bands along base walls, 26 openings, etc etc. The house was so well closed to air flow from outside that by NYSERDA certification & law they had to install three automated air flow vents to get the proper venting in the house. The Energy Star folks said the systems payback is right around 4.2  yrs. But given the Rebates, and grants they claim 3.3 yrs. Plus once you qualify for the energy star program any energy star rated devices you buy get you back 10-15%.The High efficiency Heating & ac got me back 15% plus a reduction in my energy costs.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:I've heard the payback time is anywhere from 2-3 years, so you're right in the ballpark with your figures.  That seems like a lot of money to shell out at once just for insulation but looking at the long term savings it's well worth it.
Reply:For a new house or one you have gutted Its certainly the easy way to go.  Yeah Its not the cheapest way but you'll get it back in a few years.. You really need to do some research on the high density foam. It has so many benefits in restoring a house built in 1795! The the house stronger, more energy efficient, keeps out bugs, rats mice and snakes, moisture, etcIf you can see it being done and actually get your hands on a piece give it a strength test. I know this house won't be going anywhere.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.Originally Posted by farmersammI always wonder if the engineer dudes really know how to size the pipes right.
Reply:Running a hoe is my favorite way of stress relief.  Nothing like clawing away at something for hours at a time and having something to show for it at the end of a day.  Mine is any type of skid steer loader. My best friend and I are each half owners of a 843 BobCat and both of us think it should be a federal law that when a man turns 35 or so he should automatically receive one for fun and stress relief.
Reply:Mine is any type of skid steer loader. My best friend and I are each half owners of a 843 BobCat and both of us think it should be a federal law that when a man turns 35 or so he should automatically receive one for fun and stress relief.