18. Fixing a Hole...

... where the rain came in.

Did you get the reference? (hint: Beatles. Another hint: Sergeant Pepper's.)

Anyhoo, this entry is about digging out a pond to fix the placement of the water intake pump so the water will be of better quality. Currently the intake is near the bottom of the pond, so a lot of silt is pumped up to the water tanks making the water a brownish color. Not so good.

The task was to clear out all the plants from in and around the pond, drain the pond, lower the pipe from the reservoir feed to the pond so that more water could enter the pond, then refill the pond. We will be cleaning out the water filter sometime in the near future, so I'll document that process later.

Here is a pictorial account of digging out the pond:

Krisida standing in the pond overgrown with plants

Nate in pond removing plants

Krisida finding the water intake

Pond cleared out in about an hour

Pond cleared and water draining out

Water pumped by hose to the reservoir canal

Pipe is removed and trench lowered about half a metre

Ray digging the trench

Pipe from reservoir canal to pond 

Pond completely drained in about a day

Pond refilling. It took about two days

Soon the silt will settle and the pond will be clear

The hardest part was deepening the water intake trench. It was hard because there was concrete in the ground and to break through it wrecked two hoes and a hammer. Clearing the pond of plants, in contrast, was easy. The plants were mostly morning glory, and their roots were easy to pull out.

Oh yes-  there were two water snakes swimming around with us while we worked. I think they were angry at us for ruining their habitat! It's okay - in a month's time all the plants will regrow.