Comment by Steve Kemp on February 24, 2013 at 1:15am

What a great idea, I have a pretty, but puny creek running through the northwest of my property that I was thinking of daming to create a pond, how much nicer and more enviromentally friendly to just dam the creek enough to raise the level a few feet for its entire length. Brilliant! Thank you for the inspiration. I'll post my own photo's when I;m done. Any tips, or things to watch out for?

Comment by Jody B. Raines on February 24, 2013 at 8:17am

My husband can envision and then build. It amazes me.  He also created the dam in our koi pond.  Good luck with your project. He hopes to build a third pond on our property up above this creek.  You know how nice the sound of trickling water is. Soothes the soul.

Comment by Jody B. Raines on February 24, 2013 at 9:00am

I guess the only tip I can offer is to make sure the dam is sturdy when you build it.  This one initially was pushed over by a torrential downpour of rain and we had to have our friend with heavy equipment prop it back up when he dug the koi pond that lies parallel to it.  Jerry reinforced it with rocks to strengthen it.

Comment by Steve Kemp on February 24, 2013 at 12:17pm

Thanks Jodie, can you tell me if he diverted the stream while he created the dam?

Comment by Jody B. Raines on February 24, 2013 at 1:07pm

He used a pipe in the center of the creek and sandbags to funnel the water into the pipe. Then he came downstream and built the dam over the pipe. Our's is not a huge, wide creek either and he used a six" wide, four foot long pipe that you can cap when you finish. Hope that makes sense. If not, I will get him to clarify! He's sitting here and we're watching NASCAR.  Go up the creek to one end of the pipe and sandbag around it causing the water to flow through the pipe.  Then go to the center of the pipe or the other end and build your dam over the pipe. After you finish and the dam has cured, take the sandbags and plug the upper end of the pipe or remove it.  He used the slate rocks to cap across the dam. And sometimes, after the torrential downpour's of spring rain, we have to reinforce the sides with rock and/or cement. Hope that clarifies it!!

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