How best to dam a creek?????

[ponytug]

I have. I have also had them constructed on the property by professionals with the conservation service. There are good sources out there on how to build dams in many designs and technologies.

All the best,

Peter

 

[MossRoad]

Actually I was thinking that if the pond had inflow it would also have outflow which would keep the water fresh.

I'd use the flow of the ditch to power a small pump to aerate/circulate the pond if I go this route.

 

[dodge man]

I’ve helped build dams, mainly inspection and material testing. These were engineered and permitted dams. The op has already shown he just wants to do it off the cuff. There are plenty of ponds built around here that weren’t permitted.

 

[Hay Dude]

Ok, mythical imported beavers aside, who here has ACTUALLY constructed a dam?

Sounds like basically no one, lotta dreamers (like myself) and folks who inherited one that was already constructed. We need some DIY examples

“mythical”?
Ain’t no myth around here….we have to have a heart trap them and get rid of them.

 

[Rustyiron]

I'll figure it out...disregard...

I think that sealing the dam to the rock stream bottom might not work out. This is from talking with lots of pond owners and builders warning me about paying strict attention to (just) my outlet pipe. Hydrostatic pressure is difficult to deal with, ask anyone with a wet foundation.
Good luck and ask around locally about this concern.

 

[paulsharvey]

For a fairly simple, and semi permanent small dam in a creek, it's pretty simple. If we want something like a 0.5 acre + pond, or significant height to the dam, we simple lack the info needed; Soil types, bottom of the creek material, rain fall, water shed, down stream hazards, ect.

When we start getting to say, the 250,000 gal capacity, that's approx a 50 ft x 50 ft square, 48" deep, I would be more worried about the 50 year rain, and similar. When we are talking about the equivalent of a large walmart 20 ft diameter, 54" deep, package pool, we can relax.

 

[MossRoad]

....

When we start getting to say, the 250,000 gal capacity, that's approx a 50 ft x 50 ft square, 48" deep, I would be more worried about the 50 year rain, and similar. When we are talking about the equivalent of a large walmart 20 ft diameter, 54" deep, package pool, we can relax.

Yeah, our 24' round above ground is about 13,000 gallons. I've seen it burst (moles undermined it) and it lost all its water through our garage and out the front in just a few minutes. But little damage overall.

 

[deezler]

“mythical”?
Ain’t no myth around here….we have to have a heart trap them and get rid of them.

Key word being "imported". I'm rather skeptical that one can unload a beaver and convince it to dam a certain spot.

 

[Hay Dude]

Be positive.
Never know till you try!

 

[paulsharvey]

So, I did all of 60 secs of research on allowable use of water; and needless to say, it's Extremely dependent on state/local laws/regs; but the short version is, abutting property owners generally have the right to use "reasonable" amounts of the water. Reasonable might be less than 250,000g/day in some areas, and might be a single gallon in others.


Non of that is to say it's unregulated use, and also non of it is to say you should or should not build the dam.

 

[deezler]

Be positive.
Never know till you try!

Lol. Sounds like an expensive gambit. Would almost have to make a dam out of sticks first, so they can see the goal and then improve from there.

Whats kind of funny is that I do get naturally occurring log-jam dams in my creek periodically, that can hold back up to 1-2 ft of water. They eventually get broken apart or undermined.

 

[EddieWalker]

On our place is a nice long spring fed creek that flows even during a drought and there are three springs along it here. One is eroding the pasture making a bowl shaped area. Creek is about 8-9 ft. down below ground level, bowl area is about 40 ft. across. I was showing it to a neighbor a few days ago who said why not dam it below bowl and what a great swimming hole. The creek bed is rock. Downstream aways I put in a 5ft culvert, compacted dirt then gravel for a drive across, below that aways is a ford, railroad ballast either side.
First I'd have to winch out some trees I tossed over into it (easy job), then I'm trying to figure out how to dam it. I can easily get my 4x4 truck to it, but not a tandem dump truck.
Any ideas best way to dam it are appreciated.
Writing this I'm thinking I do have pvc pipe sections maybe in first for water flow, install dam then cap pipes? If I just dump in a lot of rip-rap it wouldn't be water tight.
Thanks.View attachment 882673View attachment 882674View attachment 882675View attachment 882676View attachment 882677

If this was my land, I think that I would use concrete sacks to build the dam. I would stack them on top of each other and run rebar through the sacks to hold them all together. This is very common for building retaining walls. Since running water is the biggest issue, I would slope both sides of the dam with concrete sacks too. If every sack overlaps another sack, I think it will plug itself up with silt over time, as the sacks cure. I wouldn't care if it leaked a little. That might even be good to keep the water flowing in the creek, and clean out silt from building up over time. The main thing is that water needs to be able to run over it during heavy rains.

 

[2manyrocks]

I'm still puzzled why you want to do all this hard work?

 

[Larry Caldwell]

You will need a permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers and possibly also your county. Your overflow will depend on maximum storm flow rate, but from the looks you will need at least a 4' diameter pipe or reinforce the top of the dam with concrete.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Great...Who the (bleep) will know?
We shoot trespassers...

Log on to your county GIS system. They have high rez aerial photos of the whole county and would see any changes with a year to year overlay.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I'm still puzzled why you want to do all this hard work?

I hate TVs & recliners.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Log on to your county GIS system. They have high rez aerial photos of the whole county and would see any changes with a year to year overlay.

 

[paulsharvey]

Log on to your county GIS system. They have high rez aerial photos of the whole county and would see any changes with a year to year overlay.

Yes and no. Generally, they would only look into it based on a public complaint. Your local city/county/water management district has better things to do than stare at aerials to look for minor changes over hundreds of square miles constantly.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Yes and no. Generally, they would only look into it based on a public complaint. Your local city/county/water management district has better things to do then start are aerials to look for minor changes over hundreds of square miles constantly.

The county assessor would be interested, and departments normally talk to each other.

 

[gstrom99]

Any downstream "users" of this water? Flow would only be interrupted until the "swimming hole" is filled in. Once it is, downstream flow will resume, assuming the incoming flow overcomes the pond leakage. Prepare your overflow spillway well. If there are no downstream complaints, odds are you'd be okay.

There is a saying that comes to mind: "It's easier to ask for forgiveness, than permission".