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How To Stop Your Pond Overflowing

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It is a common problem amongst pond-owners for their ponds to overflow – especially during the rainy seasons. But can and how do you prevent it from happening?

Some ponds are more likely to overflow than others are. For example, ponds that are placed in low-lying areas are much more prone to flooding.

How To Stop Your Pond Overflowing

Luckily, there are ways that you can stop your pond from overflowing. In this article, we will discuss how exactly you can stop your pond from overflowing and what you can do to protect and preserve your pond and all the wildlife within it.

So, let’s begin.

Using A Pond Overflow

The easiest way to prevent overflow is to use a pond overflow.

What that is is a pipe that will remove any excessive amounts of water from the pond into another area, keeping the pond water levels the same and thus preventing overflow and flooding.

A pond overthrow pipe can be installed either vertically or horizontally and should be placed at the edge of the pond, and just above the natural water level.

The extra water will travel through the pipe into a designated area – this could be into another part of the garden or even into a water storage tank.

Using a pond overflow will mean that your pond is less likely to flood as the water level simply won’t get high enough.

The most important thing to remember if you are installing a pond overflow pipe is to also put some sort of screen or mesh in front of the entryway of the pipe in your pond.

This will help to stop any fish or other pondlife from being sucked into the pipe with the water.

Is Using a Pond Overflow Necessary?

Although pond overflows are not essential, they are very useful in preventing floods, especially if you live in an area with heavy rainfall.

If you are planning on building a pond (see also ‘How To Build A Pond Or Water Garden‘) it is a great idea to include a pond overflow, just in case. You can also add a pond overflow pipe to an existing pond as well.

In areas where there is not as much rainfall and it is particularly dry, you may be able to get away without including a pond overflow in your pond.

Additionally, you could try one of the other methods we will discuss below.

Other Ways That You Can Stop Your Pond From Overflowing

If you don’t want to install a pond overflow, there are other options available to prevent the water in your pond from overflowing.

The first thing you could do is ensure that the water level of your pond (see also ‘The Ultimate Guide To Pond Water Level Control‘) is a few inches below the ground level.

This will allow room for any excess water such as rain and water from other runoff areas.

Another idea to prevent your pond from overflowing is to add a gravel rim around the pond.

This will help with water drainage. You should install a dry creek bed away from your pond that the water can trickle into.

One of the simplest ways to prevent pond overflow is to scoop the water out of the pond yourself with a bucket.

This is the best thing to do if there has been a sudden rain downpour and you need a fast and temporary solution. You will then be in control of how much water you remove and where you put the excess amount. 

Protecting Fish From Pond Flooding

During periods of heavy rain where pond overflowing occurs, it is a common problem for fish to be washed out of the pond.

For this reason, it is incredibly important that you keep an eye on your pond if you are experiencing this kind of weather, as your fish may need rescuing!

With a pond overflow, you reduce the chance of this risk happening. 

In addition to this, heavy rainfall has been known to change the pH level of the water in your pond which can cause your fish to die.

After heavy rain, you should check the pH level of your pond as soon as you can to ensure it is safe for your fish and other pondlife.

Final Thoughts

It is worth installing a pond overflow in your pond, especially if you live in an area with heavy rainfall.

Protecting your pond from flooding will also protect the fish, plants, and any other organisms that live within your pool.

The excess water that you take from your pond to prevent the overflow can be used as a garden fertilizer or you can channel the water into other places in your garden. 

Hopefully, this has been a useful article and you will no longer have to deal with your pond overflowing!

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