On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 23:30:31 GMT, "Al Schmidt" wrote:

I have just moved into a property with existing pond. Here in Fort Wayne,
IN, it has barely been winter. Lots of rain and moderate temperatures
(30-40). The pond is really filing up, toward over flowing. It is
approximately 1/2 acre in size, maybe larger now... Should there be an over
flow? I will look in spring, assuming that the water level drops. This is a
large pond, recommendations on books to learn from?

Al

Hi Al,

I have had a fairly large earth/mud pond for quite a few years. I had it
dug out with an giant excavator. (Cost big $$). It sits at one end of my
property, on a slope. The lower side is about a foot lower than the high side.
I have a lot of overflows when it rains because of the land slope on the
upper side.
I put in a 10" standpipe, about 20 feet long. It empties into a ditch
at the edge of my property.
I bought a 18x24" piece of rubber , cut a 9 1/2 inch hole in it, and forced
it around the end of the pipe that was on the pond side. Then I carefully
buried it. It has worked perfectly for years, and the water has never cut a
path through the top side of the pond. (Ground is mostly clay.)

There is an excellent book called "Earth Ponds" by Tim Matson. It is a
few years old. I have a copy. You might check your local library system.
Tim also has a website called earthponds.com Be sure to check that out.

I frequently go to the Ft. Wayne area. (Actually, Warsaw, about 30 miles
west.) I have belonged to the Popular Rotorcraft Association for the past 30+
years. We build our own helicopters. We have a convention every summer near
Warsaw.
There are lots and lots of homeowners and farmers with small ponds in that
area. (They are very visible from 1000' up.) I'm sure you could find a
few, and just stop by and ask the owners any questions you might have about
care, upkeep, etc. The people of Indiana are very friendly.
I know. One year I crashed my helicopter in a beanfield. The farmer
drove his tractor and trailer right through the full-grown crop to help me
retrieve the copter.
Caused a lot of damage to his crop, and I offered to pay him for it, but
he refused. He was far more interested "that crazy machine". I'm sure he had
stories to tell his friends.

Al, one last point. This group, rec.ponds, used to be a great group for
learning about ponds, but in recent years it has collapsed due to radical
trolling. It is not even a shadow of its former self.
There is an effort underway to create a new group called
rec.ponds.moderated, that will be free of trolling. Hopefully, it will be up
and running within 1-2 months. Please look for it then, and feel free to join
in.
If you want to learn more about the plans for rec.ponds.moderated, you
can go to news.groups.proposals It is itself a new group, and you may
have to ask your news service provider to ask that it be added. If you go
there, and like what you read about r.p.m, then please feel free to leave a
message of support on that group (n.g.p).

Thanks Al, and good luck. Feel free to contact me if you wish.

Ron Schompert