Maintaining water levels in ponds.

[TXDirt]

Here in Tx we have been in a bit of a precipitation slump for a few years and it's taken a toll on the stock ponds and water supplies for the animals on ranches. We are getting our property ready for live stock and the water levels in the ponds are low, too low to handle the amount of livestock we would like to put on the land.

So, we are looking to alternative methods rather than do a rain dance and wait for rain. We are considering putting windmills on the ponds to use to keep the water levels up and maintain a good safe water level.

My questions is, does anyone have experience with this? Is there another more successful way of maintaining a pond? 1 pond is about an acre in size and is roughly 15' deep in the middle. the second pond is kind of 2 ponds but when one is full they both are full if that make sense it is about 2.5 acres in size and may be around 10' deep in the middle maybe a little deeper.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Are you think of using the windmill to pump out of the pond into a trough?
You would probably need to fence off the pond to the livestock out as some would still go in the pond and foul the water.
We use solar pumps out of Dugouts/ small dug ponds. We don't fence them off because in case of pump failure the livestock still needs to drink

 

[Soapweed]

If you are going to the expense and trouble of putting up a windmill, it would sure be feasible to also install a steel tank - 20' to 30' in diameter. The water would be cleaner, and the cattle wouldn't get so muddy while drinking. Overflow off of the steel tank would help to keep your pond full.

 

[TXDirt]

Not to pump from a pond, but to dig a well and pump from the well to the pond using the windmill.

I like the steel tank idea.

 

[Mike]

How deep is the aquifer below your ground level?

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Not to pump from a pond, but to dig a well and pump from the well to the pond using the windmill.

I like the steel tank idea.

Ya probably Soap's idea of a big tank with the over flow going back to the pond would work the best if you can get a well to pump out of.

 

[TXDirt]

How deep is the aquifer below your ground level?

I'm not sure, but it should handle our needs with out hurting it for others. From what I remember it's a big river that supplies water to a lot of areas.

 

[Mike]

How deep is the aquifer below your ground level?

I'm not sure, but it should handle our needs with out hurting it for others. From what I remember it's a big river that supplies water to a lot of areas.

The reason I ask is because the depth of the well intake has an effect on how much water a pump can pump.

If I remember correctly, we calculated that a 12 foot diameter vane windmill could pump around 50 gallons per hour if lifting the water 300 feet.

As the "Head" increases, in other words the deeper the lift of the water, the amount of water pumped decreases logarithmically at a pretty high rate. And Vice-Versa.

 

[eatbeef]

Check out solar units, I think you could do it cheaper and solar units are portable. We have some ponds near us that they pump out of pond to a tank to keep cows out of mud and water. If you are going to have a well and tank, most likely the cows will quit going to the pond.

 

[eatbeef]

Check with you local NRCS. Even if you don't like there programs they provide many ideas.

 

[littlejoe]

as far as making a noticeable difference in pond level, maybe do some math---an acre foot has about 325,000 gallons.

well, tank, dump any extra into pond would appear to be way to go---but I wouldn't sacrifice best well site to have it handier to pond..

 

[TXDirt]

Thanks for the help. With all the advice I think I will go the tank route and just put an overflow pipe on the side, once the water gets to that level it will go out the pipe and into the pond.

Now just gotta find a good deal on a windmill.

 

[3 M L & C]

If you are starting from scratch it is a lot nicer to have a solar panel with pump than a windmill. I really hate climbing those stupid rickety towers to check the oil! And if your buying new the solar deal won't cost very much more than buying and setting up a windmill.