02/09/2026
Here’s a pond repair project we completed last summer. When the pond was originally built the spillway design was flawed, but with many things relating to dirt work those flaws did not cause issues for several years. But as always, they did. By the time we arrived on site, a gully nearly 4 feet deep had washed out for hundred yards up the spillway, going all the way to the water’s edge. During heavy rains, the pond was also rising high enough to spill over large sections of the dam, carving multiple erosion channels down the backside. For good reason this land owner was deeply concerned that one more heavy rain and his pond would be gone.
Our solution:
We made a cost-effective decision to straighten and widen the spillway, then reusing the excavated material to raise and strengthen the dam. This increased the pond’s freeboard—the height difference between the water level and the top of the dam—allowing it to safely hold more water during heavy rainfall without spilling over.
The widened spillway now allows more water to exit in a controlled manner, reducing erosion risk and improving long-term stability.
We also excavated rocky areas on the property and reused that material to riprap a large section of the spillway. This saved the landowner significant hauling costs and allowed those rocky areas to be graded into smooth, maintainable pasture.
At Owens Excavation & Dirtwork, we focus on practical solutions, smart material use, and long-term results—designed around the land and the landowner’s priorities.
