If you need suggestions PM or reply with your state and I may be able to help or recommend a firm that’s good in the area. Keep in mind, civil engineers, like lawyers are not cheap for the good ones but pay off in often 10x their value literally. That said they are usually much cheaper than lawyers haha don’t go cheap is my point…
Most places you'll have to get a dam permitted and a dam failure analysis performed. These are not diy things. You'll have to show the expected frequency of overtopping, show that the emergency spillway can convey the 100-year flow, etc.
There's really no getting out of this without some engineering work. It won't be cheap.
https://preview.redd.it/vnsjpz84m4yc1.jpeg?width=219&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c48fd85e27863a75a621be4c8cc9e0e67ff3f20d
Deep inside id be glad the damn dam failed. He'll yeah. Back to my 10year old me! Wrum wrum
Pfft, it’s what, a 2 day rental at sunbelt for a bobcat, two cases of beer, and maybe a doobie.
No need to get an engineer, they’ll just tell me to build a pile of dirt, I mean what else would you do?
/s obviously
Oh yeah make sure to pull the hour meter, and buy an 8 ball while you’re at it and you’re fuckin mint.
Jokes aside I laugh when I see people think running equipment is easy. They wouldn’t even know where to begin.
https://preview.redd.it/6p4nblp2w3yc1.jpeg?width=3056&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3dc5201ce664c5cd2d500137c6610efd702f1be8
Here is how that exact section looked before giving way. Pretty deep drop off on the other side.
That looks like a nice dam from my perspective. Clear of trees and everything just like they tell you to do. What do you think led to the collapse? Any muskrat holes or old rotted tree roots?
Good to know where I can get my hands on a reliable crack smoking Aussie though. Hard to find in my area, every time you go to order one they end up being a damn meth head redneck. It's just not the same...
Spillway was solid, it’s on the other end. You’re right, there were no inspections, but a decent amount of maintenance over the years; obviously not enough.
Well, there are a lot of these dams all around the world, and very seldom does something like this happen. I just don't want people thinking that these dams aren't safe.
I want to say yes; obviously this was a catastrophic failure, but again we never had any problems or issue for 30 years. There are plenty of public infrastructures that have passed inspection and don’t last that long.
We got a ton of rain the last few weeks which I think was the last straw. We did regular maintenance over the years, but honestly nothing that we saw prior was out of the ordinary. I recommend doing some research to see how you can start prevention early.
Thanks for that. Sorry for your loss. On my end, I try to keep trees from growing on the dam as I worry about the roots weakening the dam, it’s a running battle.
The warning signs for slump are pretty subtle. A patch near the top that seems to always be bare dirt (because it is the top of the slump and the sod is creeping downslope). A spot lower on the face that is more lush than the rest of the grass (because water is seeping through the core and saturating the toe). You definitely want to prevent woody vegetation from growing on or near the dike (which OP did well, it seems) and trap and remove any burrowing critters like beavers and muskrats.
The other thing you definitely want to have is a plan for draining the pond quickly if things start going wonky. Don’t just rely on your emergency spillway.
There are professionals who can look over your pond and dam and make recommendations for maintenance and repair. Start with your local drainage/water management agency which is probably a conservation district.
Well that was super helpful. I went out and walked my dam and there was a noticeable wet area down low on the backside that was new. I’ll be getting a professional out to assess it. Thank you for the advice.
Bingo. Just not thrilled about getting the bid for it. Had some monster bass in there too
https://preview.redd.it/u02y2zcqv3yc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=509934850be0b7eda24be9e53008fe240bf51f92
I’m not sure, I thought about that, but where everything washed out is pretty thick and probably will turn into a swamp. There could still be some in the lake water that’s left. We are throwing fish food in there just in case.
https://preview.redd.it/c84xr37ov6yc1.jpeg?width=977&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2cbbae1df73d246d70c78b4078b2f81f0508fe8a
Here’s a other one caught out there
A dam needs maintenance, check for cracks in the soil (when it is dry a dam can be too light for the water pressure and pushed away), also water pressure can move water under the dam literally undermining it (can be spotted when sand and water randomly come out of the ground opposite of the water). Also general soil health of the dam and quality of the grass (roots provide structure to the topsoil). Lastly, moving heavy equipment over it can also have negative effects. When rebuilding make the dam wider by adding soil on the opposite side, it can be quite effective if there is a second horizontal part which supports the dam itself.
Source: I'm an engineer (water manager from the Netherlands).
Idk where you’re located but not the wisest posting this online. I wouldn’t be surprised if the state (insert state) environmental service doesn’t show up.
It wasn’t needed at the time. It was a much smaller man made pond when we first bought it, but over the years pulled more and more of the bank away from all sides (except the dam) and it just kept growing.
There were, but we cut them down over the years to make it easier for fishing. You should be able to see some stumps out in the former lake in the video. What more to the story would there be with no trees below the high water mark?
More just wondering the layout of this waterway, the area that failed looks like it led to an area that held a regulated amount of water.
But the post makes it seem like the water left over is new.
Obviously the erosion from the failed dam is new.
Oh yeah... that band of red clay was your warning that the upstream face was slumping into the pond. How did that part get over-steepened? And that scallop shape wasn’t original.
Yeah… this is something that should never have been dammed in the first place. Ecologically damaging and you also have no native shoreline plantings for bank stabilization.
"Look at all the helpers" was a classic Mr Roger's quote I feel may help you through this. Like all the Redditors wanting too. That kinda mud is probably great for the right plants, I'd be looking for that helper to help market that Mud. You might have something good going there.
If not keep looking for the helpers. Nature itself tends to tend to that sort of thing.
Well, now you have a waterslide. But seriously, had a friend break his whole damn with a dozer and completely rebuild, made his lake a little bigger in the process and now it is incredible. It may take a while, but you can do it! Good luck
Damn that really sucks. Hopefully you can afford to get an excavator out there once it dries and build it back. Not sure if this is something covered by homeowner insurance but maybe look into that. Good luck 👍
Sigh... this is kind of [dickish](https://youtu.be/JM3fodiK9rY?si=AatBb1do3QNibklb) but such the perfect reply to your post, I'll buffer it with this deal, if you're within 100 miles... eff it, 150miles of me, I will come to your property and help fix it when you're ready.
You had 30 years to prevent this.
[удалено]
One was installed on the other end of the dam, just not enough outflow I guess
Once it dries out, rent a dozer and rebuild. You got this.
And I appreciate your support!
fun project honestly. Don't think of it as all bad.
Can’t afford to let it happen again so I’m considering some more expensive options to address the whole thing.
What are you thinking? (A civil engineer is not a bad idea in this case, it could save you so many thousands)
CE probably, but I need to wait for summer to even get started so I have time to research some different options.
If you need suggestions PM or reply with your state and I may be able to help or recommend a firm that’s good in the area. Keep in mind, civil engineers, like lawyers are not cheap for the good ones but pay off in often 10x their value literally. That said they are usually much cheaper than lawyers haha don’t go cheap is my point…
keep us updated if you can.
Most places you'll have to get a dam permitted and a dam failure analysis performed. These are not diy things. You'll have to show the expected frequency of overtopping, show that the emergency spillway can convey the 100-year flow, etc. There's really no getting out of this without some engineering work. It won't be cheap.
Noted. Time to get ALL the beavers 🦫
That’s the plan
https://preview.redd.it/vnsjpz84m4yc1.jpeg?width=219&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c48fd85e27863a75a621be4c8cc9e0e67ff3f20d Deep inside id be glad the damn dam failed. He'll yeah. Back to my 10year old me! Wrum wrum
As someone who does this everyday, it’s not that simple as just renting a machine.
Pfft, it’s what, a 2 day rental at sunbelt for a bobcat, two cases of beer, and maybe a doobie. No need to get an engineer, they’ll just tell me to build a pile of dirt, I mean what else would you do? /s obviously
I mean, beavers make dams all the time, it can't be too hard, man. - This message brought to you by the guy who smoked said doobie.
Oh yeah make sure to pull the hour meter, and buy an 8 ball while you’re at it and you’re fuckin mint. Jokes aside I laugh when I see people think running equipment is easy. They wouldn’t even know where to begin.
Completely agree, this project has to be done right
Dam right!
Need more praise on Reddit!
No, rent the mud to ATVs and mudders. Then use profits to buy another property with a dam and repeat for infinite money.
He was chasing the wrong beaver to help this situation
I was gonna do it this summer, promise!
To the day
https://preview.redd.it/6p4nblp2w3yc1.jpeg?width=3056&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3dc5201ce664c5cd2d500137c6610efd702f1be8 Here is how that exact section looked before giving way. Pretty deep drop off on the other side.
Sorry for your loss. It was a good looking dam.
Thank you
That looks like a nice dam from my perspective. Clear of trees and everything just like they tell you to do. What do you think led to the collapse? Any muskrat holes or old rotted tree roots?
Just too wet; dam was probably drenched all the way through, lake wasn’t spilling out fast enough. No holes or rotted trees anywhere along the dam.
You should get a beaver on the job. I saw the Hoover dam and that was pretty impressive. If one beaver did that just imagine what two beavers could do
I see you too saw that meme floating around the other day
Ya got me, beavers on the brain and all lol
I mean when are they not
I think we can all agree that two beavers are better than one.
It's twice the fun.
What the fuck are you doing? My brother died at the Battle of Hoover Dam. You're desecrating a war memorial.
you're a little bitch and your brother was too!
He was legionary scum! NCR forever!
I would be glad to load a few beavers to OP for a small rate of them not eating my orchard anymore.
How much for the beavers? Who's your beaver guy?
Don't rent from this guy. I did and it was just an Aussie in a beaver suit. And he kept smoking crack behind my shed too.
Good to know where I can get my hands on a reliable crack smoking Aussie though. Hard to find in my area, every time you go to order one they end up being a damn meth head redneck. It's just not the same...
Actually, that was just government code for Canadian slaves. The government calls them beavers so nobody gets upset. /s
Ja pierdole
Throw a truck in it.
I love when this sort of thing makes sense as I read it.
I've seent that video
Throw a Chevy in the levee?
Nah it was dry.
It was too late, lake was pretty much gone instantly
Dam
Damn dam
Great Scott!
The *ACTOR???*
*Again?* You all elected an *actor* again? Did you not learn your lesson the first time?
Dam that sucks
Nice now you got a free swamp
He can do a killer Shrek cosplay
Let me guess. Zero maintenance or inspection for three decades. How’s your spillway?
Spillway was solid, it’s on the other end. You’re right, there were no inspections, but a decent amount of maintenance over the years; obviously not enough.
So did it overtop or did the face slump off?
Face slumped off
Is that typical? For the face to slump off?
Well, there are a lot of these dams all around the world, and very seldom does something like this happen. I just don't want people thinking that these dams aren't safe.
Was this one safe?
Obviously not, the face slumped off
So it had a stroke?
https://youtu.be/3m5qxZm_JqM
Does Castor Troy have an alibi for this one?
Well, I was thinking more about the other ones.
Which other ones?
The ones where the face doesn't slump off.
I want to say yes; obviously this was a catastrophic failure, but again we never had any problems or issue for 30 years. There are plenty of public infrastructures that have passed inspection and don’t last that long.
What sorts of standards are these dams held to?
Rigorous civil engineering standards.
[This ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m5qxZm_JqM)is the comedy skit you've stumbled into.
The face was slumped out of the environment.
Into another environment?
No, it slumped *beyond* the environment. It's not *in* an environment. It's been slumped *beyond* the environment.
I’ve been there
I worry about this with my pond. Any warning signs?
We got a ton of rain the last few weeks which I think was the last straw. We did regular maintenance over the years, but honestly nothing that we saw prior was out of the ordinary. I recommend doing some research to see how you can start prevention early.
Thanks for that. Sorry for your loss. On my end, I try to keep trees from growing on the dam as I worry about the roots weakening the dam, it’s a running battle.
The warning signs for slump are pretty subtle. A patch near the top that seems to always be bare dirt (because it is the top of the slump and the sod is creeping downslope). A spot lower on the face that is more lush than the rest of the grass (because water is seeping through the core and saturating the toe). You definitely want to prevent woody vegetation from growing on or near the dike (which OP did well, it seems) and trap and remove any burrowing critters like beavers and muskrats. The other thing you definitely want to have is a plan for draining the pond quickly if things start going wonky. Don’t just rely on your emergency spillway. There are professionals who can look over your pond and dam and make recommendations for maintenance and repair. Start with your local drainage/water management agency which is probably a conservation district.
Well that was super helpful. I went out and walked my dam and there was a noticeable wet area down low on the backside that was new. I’ll be getting a professional out to assess it. Thank you for the advice.
Best of luck!
Its Beaver time
Wife says not until I fix the dam.
well, dam
I’m not sure a well is the best idea. I think a dam dam is better than a well/dam
When this happened at our family ranch, Ducks Unlimited paid to repair it because it was inhabited by a lot of fowl.
Great time to dredge it. Then build the damn stronger. Then stock it with fish you want.
Bingo. Just not thrilled about getting the bid for it. Had some monster bass in there too https://preview.redd.it/u02y2zcqv3yc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=509934850be0b7eda24be9e53008fe240bf51f92
Wow! That’s a huge bass.
A bunch of those in there 😔
*Used to be
Sorry you’re right, I’m just still in the denial phase
Not trying to be mean, just reddit'ing. That is a horrible loss
Whered they go? Can you track em down and bring em back?
I’m not sure, I thought about that, but where everything washed out is pretty thick and probably will turn into a swamp. There could still be some in the lake water that’s left. We are throwing fish food in there just in case.
So sorry my friend. ok to grieve for a while. You’ve lost something special.
Holy shit I bet that was a fun fight
That’s huge or she’s really small!
https://preview.redd.it/c84xr37ov6yc1.jpeg?width=977&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2cbbae1df73d246d70c78b4078b2f81f0508fe8a Here’s a other one caught out there
Gender reveal says: It’s a river! Congratulations to all.
I guess it's good that your house wasn't downhill.
Or anyone else's.
Very true
Should’ve bought the extended warranty!
I broke the dam
No, I broke the dam
I broke the dam
You should post about how you repair it.
Like I don't have enough random engineering and contractor rabbit holes on YouTube. Let's add small town dam contractors.
Waterfront property now.
A dam needs maintenance, check for cracks in the soil (when it is dry a dam can be too light for the water pressure and pushed away), also water pressure can move water under the dam literally undermining it (can be spotted when sand and water randomly come out of the ground opposite of the water). Also general soil health of the dam and quality of the grass (roots provide structure to the topsoil). Lastly, moving heavy equipment over it can also have negative effects. When rebuilding make the dam wider by adding soil on the opposite side, it can be quite effective if there is a second horizontal part which supports the dam itself. Source: I'm an engineer (water manager from the Netherlands).
Down-streamers calling their lawyers.
Same property
So the fish are not all lost then?
I sure hope not
You skated on that one then. Unless the Feds come knocking about waterway stuff.
Idk where you’re located but not the wisest posting this online. I wouldn’t be surprised if the state (insert state) environmental service doesn’t show up.
So, no maintenance on the dam for 30 years, then?
What could have prevented that?
Maybe dumping more dirt and heavy rocks on the other side over the years to reinforce it, but maybe it was inevitable without a huge overhaul project.
You forgot to fill up a couple of pick up trucks with dirt and drive them into the hole before it got too big and gave way.
The power of water is quite amazing.
Average 30 Year Warranty
You could have prevented this by simply keeping it well maintained
Just in time to finish a 30 year mortgage.
[удалено]
It wasn’t needed at the time. It was a much smaller man made pond when we first bought it, but over the years pulled more and more of the bank away from all sides (except the dam) and it just kept growing.
No trees below the high water mark, is there more to the story?
There were, but we cut them down over the years to make it easier for fishing. You should be able to see some stumps out in the former lake in the video. What more to the story would there be with no trees below the high water mark?
More just wondering the layout of this waterway, the area that failed looks like it led to an area that held a regulated amount of water. But the post makes it seem like the water left over is new. Obviously the erosion from the failed dam is new.
https://preview.redd.it/vcy33h3pw3yc1.jpeg?width=3056&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8f7e27addff001e2d5575355bf5b015f40ee0a00 Best before photo I can get
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
I broke the dam.
Have any before pictures?
https://preview.redd.it/bwzoek09u6yc1.jpeg?width=3056&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24aabd3f763ef87b3f7b64f00f7a2f88ea14ee5b Best one I can find
Oh yeah... that band of red clay was your warning that the upstream face was slumping into the pond. How did that part get over-steepened? And that scallop shape wasn’t original.
That was a very nice pond. I sure hope you can build it back up. Wishing you luck.
Get some beavers.
Well......dam.
Damn
Well dam... that's gotta be pretty irrigating. No choice but to go with the flow. And look if this offends you cry me a River Beach.
You need some beavers mate.
Buy a property... 30 years later BAM! dam breaks...
>riverside property >upset Bruh
Dumb rich guy problems
Yeah… this is something that should never have been dammed in the first place. Ecologically damaging and you also have no native shoreline plantings for bank stabilization.
Can barely tell (from space).
"Look at all the helpers" was a classic Mr Roger's quote I feel may help you through this. Like all the Redditors wanting too. That kinda mud is probably great for the right plants, I'd be looking for that helper to help market that Mud. You might have something good going there. If not keep looking for the helpers. Nature itself tends to tend to that sort of thing.
An opportunity to excel. Rent some equip. and enjoy the re-build!
Ahh thanks, will be using professionals for this one.
I broke the dam
Well, now you have a waterslide. But seriously, had a friend break his whole damn with a dozer and completely rebuild, made his lake a little bigger in the process and now it is incredible. It may take a while, but you can do it! Good luck
This whole dam thing is a mess!
Oh no you own land. I would never want that.
Damn that really sucks. Hopefully you can afford to get an excavator out there once it dries and build it back. Not sure if this is something covered by homeowner insurance but maybe look into that. Good luck 👍
"I BROKE THE DAM"
Wellthatsucks More like damthatsucks.... Boom
Turn it into waterpark.
And?
Well.... Damn..😁
but the well isn't pictured here
Deep subject
Now its waterfront property!
Nothing a couple of pickup trucks loaded with dirt can't fix.
Go buy a couple pet beavers they can fix this in no time!
Instant waterfront property. Just think about the increase in value. Now your taxes will go up!
That’s a water quality disaster.
Oh, and just like the river, I’ve been running ever since
That’s a dam shame.
Now you have a bigger pond :)
Got a before picture? Just out of curiosity
https://preview.redd.it/19gjvkmb24yc1.jpeg?width=3056&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=888cea7cce899994ff77dd84a1d3784ff66943cb
Dam that sucks Edit: shouldve read the comments first :(
Damn
Sigh... this is kind of [dickish](https://youtu.be/JM3fodiK9rY?si=AatBb1do3QNibklb) but such the perfect reply to your post, I'll buffer it with this deal, if you're within 100 miles... eff it, 150miles of me, I will come to your property and help fix it when you're ready.
Did you try driving your truck into it?
No that was just getting across to the other side. Happened so fast there was no time.
But who's counting anyway
Well damn.
Invest in some beavers.
Someone ELi5 please?
Fire some bass in that bjtch and go fishin
Congrats on your new river
Set height and use land form tool
Did you see it happen?
You should have bought the dam(n) extended warranty!
Damn