Over the years, a question has arisen many times.
Garden pond owners want assurance that if it rains, their pond will overflow, and if it works, how much.
The answer is: yes, garden ponds can overflow if it rains, but how much will depend on the size of the pond and the amount of rain that falls.
Benefits of a Garden Pond
If your garden pond can overflow and end up being a kind of disaster zone in your backyard, do you really want one?
That’s the decision for you to make – but in the meantime, here are the advantages of having a garden pond.
Good for Your Wallet
It’s hard to believe, but installing a garden pond in your yard can save you money.
Regardless of the size of your pond, you’ll no longer need to fertilize, water, or mow that area.
Good for The Environment
Having a garden pond is also beneficial for the environment.
The water moving in and out of your pond will eventually end up in the groundwater. This is an important and vital resource.
Consequently – You will not have to run a lawn mower to maintain an area that was once covered with grass, and you will decrease the amount of fuel you consume operating the lawnmower.
Good for Wildlife
Ponds create habitat for wildlife, so if you’re interested in attracting more dragonflies, frogs, birds, or butterflies to your yard, having a pond is definitely a way to do it.
If frogs are living at your pond, and tadpoles hatch from eggs in your pond, they consume the algae in your pond naturally cleaning up its water quality.
Then when the tadpoles develop into adult frogs, they manage and control the insect population in your yard.
Good for You
Hanging out by the water is good for your health. Water is easy, calm and relaxing while also being good for fitness.
Just watching the water and bubbles rising to the surface, or the ripples from a leaf falling in can provide a calming experience, right in your own backyard.
What Causes Ponds to Overflow
Ponds can overflow for three reasons, and you only have control over one of them.
1. Overfilling
The first reason a pond can overflow is from leaving the hose on and inadvertently filling it too much.
This is the only overflow cause you have control of. Be sure to keep an eye on the water levels and turn off your hose before the pond floods your backyard.
2. Melting Snow
A second reason for pond overflow would be melting snow.
If you happen to live in an area that doesn’t receive snow during the winter it won’t be a factor for you.
In the spring, if you do live in a snowy area simply try to clean on the hill above your pond before it starts melting.
Here’s the kicker! As the snow melts it runs downhill so when it melts it will continue to run down the hill to your pond, which is where it will become an issue.
3. Heavy Rain
The third and the most frequent cause of a pond overflowing is heavy rain, which you have no control over.
Showers or even moderate rain won’t cause your pond to overflow, but when it’s “raining cats and dogs”, the pond will continuously fill and eventually overflow.
How to Prevent Garden Ponds from Overflowing
The good news is there are things you can do to prevent your pond from overflowing.
Install a Pond Overflow
Ever filled a bathtub too full and once you got into it, it felt like all of that water disappeared and not overflowed from the tub?
The water got displaced through an overflow.
You can also do this with a pond. Once you have created an overflow tube, you can dictate where the excess water is going to go.
That excess pond water can go to your garden, a container, or just to a low spot in your yard away from the pond.
If you set up a container to collect the overflow water, you will have free water to use on your lawns and gardens.
This saves you money on your water bill when you need to water your lawns and gardens and it is environmentally conscious to save the excess “waste” water.
If you do create a pond overflow, it is a good idea to put some mesh over the opening.
You want to keep any plants or dead leaves from getting into the overflow pipe making it essentially useless, even if it is not working well. You will have to check the mesh occasionally and clean it off.
This video will show you how to easily create an overflow in your pond.
Cover Your Pond
Instead of coping with extra water, this method prevents the excess water from coming into your pond.
You can either cover your pond with something glamorous like a strong gazebo with a roof, or you could cover your pond with something basic such as a tarp.
Maybe, installing a gazebo in your backyard is not the aesthetic you are after, or maybe it is not practical to hang a tarp every time you are expecting heavy rain.
You could always build a simple contraption that you use almost like a sawhorse, then attach your tarp to the sawhorse.
Then, when you are expecting heavy rain you simply set the structure out and allow the rain to flow off the tarp so it goes towards the sides of the pond.
Build Your Pond on Higher Ground
If you haven’t started to create a pond yet, you should be very careful where the best location will be.
Ponds can overflow, so you’re going to want to avoid building them in the highest place in your back yard. If you do, the pond could overflow in every direction on your property.
You don’t want to build the pond at the lowest point of your back yard either. You don’t want a water area greeting rainwater because the rainwater will all go to the pond and it will overflow.
Empty Your Pond Before Winter
If you cannot remove the melting snow from your pond before thawing, you should have drilled your pond prior to the snow falling.
Then, if it thaws naturally, it will fill the pond without spilling over.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of how you approach it, your pond is always going to be at risk of being overfilled.
With our ideas, you may be able to limit that risk and enjoy that beautiful pond you have in your backyard without worrying!