How to unclog a pond overflow pipe?

Jeff Bower

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DSM, IA
My MIL's cabin has a very small pond down the hill from it and the overflow pipe is clogged, probably at the intake. Any ideas other than getting the swimsuit out and mucking it out by hand?

Power outlet on the cabin is over 200ft away and getting a plumber out there to "roto root" it out would be way to pricy because it is pretty remote, no water at the cabin either, so I can't blow it out with water.

:dunno::huh::dunno:
 
If you are in the water when you unstop it, be careful of the suction pressure once it frees up. The higher level over the pipe the worse it will be. You probably already knew this but being reminded is better than the alternative.
 
Steve, I have thought about the suction pressure if I get it unclogged. My MIL said she didn't want me to try it this way because of that, but the water should only be waste high...getting my foot/leg stuck in the mud will probably be a bigger concern. DAMHIKT. :doh:

I don't have access to dynamite, but that would be worthy of a video for sure! :D

I was told by someone here at work to take a 20ft section of 6-8" flexible drain pipe, put one end in a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with water, then stick the other end in the pond, take the bucket off and you can drain quite a bit of water pretty fast...might give that a go too so we can get to the drain easier...I also read some terrilbe accounts of what people have found in a clogged pond pipe. :eek::doh:
 
The pipe is 6" I think...I will be taking a 8ft 1" pipe with me to shove into the pipe from the dry side...that should be long enough. Problem is I haven't really ever looked that close at it so I'm planning all this kinda blind...
 
Let us know if you find Jimmy Hoffa!!

Well didn't find Jimmy, or get the pipe unclogged. There is now a trickle of water going thru it, but not enough to get the water level down if it keeps raining like it has been. When we got there we noticed the weeds were laying down in a low spot so the water most certainly went over the bank the night before. I tried to get close to the drain, or where we thought it was, but the mud was quite deep and my MIL wouldn't be able to get me out if I got stuck so that plan was foiled too...We got some weeds and sticks out of the water around the area of the drain so that seemed to help to get the trickle of water going...sometime soon we will take a trash pump down and try to get the water level down to where we can see the drain pipe on the water side and get it cleaned out from that end.

We did have a good time while we were there, beer and chili tastes so much better in the woods...
 
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