# pumping water out of the creek



## copperhead46

I want to pump water from my creek up to the stock tank, it's about 100 ft from the edge of the creek and about a 40 ft drop down to the water, what kind of pump would work best? I'm hoping to water some of my pasture too, if this dry spell continues.
Thanks


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## Darren

The cheapest pump to operate is what some call a sling pump. The Rife river pump cames in two versions that will handle your vertical distance. The amount of water pumped per day depends on how fast the water flows in the creek. The flow of the water in the creek is what powers the pump. You don't need electricity or gasoline to drive it. The pumps aren't cheap but the cost to operate them are..

Rife Water Ram Pumps


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## unregistered41671

Here are some you can build yourself.

The Outlands - Ram pump design

https://www.youtube.com/results?sea...0.0.143.1268.1j9.10.0...0.0...1ac.QlgY3KqAc8I


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## nathan104

You can rent or buy used a 2inch trash pump pretty cheap/ That will move some water pretty quick. Very easy to use as well.


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## Darren

The 40 foot lift to get the water out of the creek is your critical factor. You won't be able to set a pump in your pasture above the creek and lift water 40'. If you can place it alongside the creek it will pump the water up the 40' to the pasture and then the 100' to the stock tank. Two 50' hose lengths will work.

The 40' vertical lift is why it's worth looking at the sling pumps especially if getting up and down the creek bank is a problem.


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## copperhead46

Thanks guys, right now the creek isn't moving much, so Idon't think the "sling" would work, I need something I can set on a deep hole and it push the water up and over the ledge, then plumb it into the stock tank or water the pasture.


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## Darren

Your simplest solution with low flow is a gasoline driven pump.


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## fishhead

If you just want to pump a few thousand gallons a portable gas powered pump will probably be your best option.

If you want to pump a lot of water and electricity is close enough you can't beat electric pumps for cost and convenience.

Compare the cost per gallon of water pumped and the difference is huge.


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## copperhead46

I think electric is going to be the way, I found a pump that has a 90 foot lift, so I think I can set it up on the bank, about 40 feet, then pump the water up andhave a hose on the out let side and water my garden, orchard and maybe fill a stock tank. that way I can save some use on my well, thanks for all the answers.


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## barnyardgal

I bought a pump at Lowe's back in May to pump water from my pond to my garden/& ducks pond-i got it back in the sump pump department at Lowes-
it is called a Utilitech-portable lawn pump-1hsp-pressure is 70 psi- think it cost around $150.00 or less...its the best pump i have had so far...comes with everything ya need except extension cord/water hoses.... I have 200' of electric cords stretched to the pump/pond the down to the barn then have about 200 plus of garden water hose down to where i need the water...all works great!!!!!

I am sure this knid of pump would work for the job ya need done to!!


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## fishhead

Pumps cannot suck more than 25' vertically and that's theoretical. The pump will need to be set closer to the elevation of the water level.

Or you can sacrifice volume and rig up a deep well pump with the head in the stream.


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## Darren

fishhead said:


> *Pumps cannot suck more than 25' vertically and that's theoretical.* The pump will need to be set closer to the elevation of the water level.
> 
> Or you can sacrifice volume and rig up a deep well pump with the head in the stream.


That's a key point. Another brand I've used in the past is the little Giant. Make sure you run a heavy enough electric cord to avoid a voltage drop that can damage the motor. Having the motor submerged can help with that.


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## copperhead46

yep, the lift is going to be the problem. What does it mean when the box says it has 90 feet of lift, if it can't lift more than 25 ft?? Can it push the water up over the bank? I could set the pump right beside the creek and then push it up the 40 feet bank then use hoses to water what I want, would that work ? I will check out Lowes for the pump, I have electric out there, we used to have a submersable pump in the creek and thats where we got our water for the house, but I got tired of replacing it every year because of eight gravel in it or being washed away by floods.


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## fishhead

Yes the pump can probably push (lift) the water up 40' from the water level to the top of the bank if you place it closer to the water level. It just can't suck the water up 40' in elevation. It has something to do with atmospheric pressure.


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## Bearfootfarm

> What does it mean when the box says it has *90 feet of lift*, if it can't lift more than 25 ft??


That means it will PUSH water that high, but it won't SUCK water more than 25 ft from the source

" *25 ft* lift" only applies to the *intake* side


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## copperhead46

Yipee, success!!! I got the lawn garden variaty at Lowes, $149.00 set it down beside the creek, on a rock ledge, hooked up heavy duty water hose and it set the water up and over the ledge with no problem. I have ran 100 feet of water hose and it is working great, I've watered the garden, filled the fish pond, and it is now sprinkling a small horse lot. Thanks for all the info, I was able to make the right decision about the pump and understand what the "lift" thing meant. You all kept me from making alot of mistakes, that I couldn't afford to make,


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## fishhead

Glad it's working.

The diameter of the pipe has a huge influence on how much it costs you to pump water by the amount of drag it puts on the water. The type of pipe matters too. Lots of joints and lots of crimps robs water volume.


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## 65284

Don't know about Okieland but in some states what you're doing could get you into serious trouble with various state and probably some federal agencies......big fines and possible jail time.

You might check it out, especially if your set up is easily seen from a public road.


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## Molly Mckee

65284 said:


> Don't know about Okieland but in some states what you're doing could get you into serious trouble with various state and probably some federal agencies......big fines and possible jail time.
> 
> You might check it out, especially if your set up is easily seen from a public road.


Do you have water rights laws in OK, is what I think he means. Here in WA there would be fines if you don't have the correct water rights but not in the east or mid west.


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## texican

fishhead said:


> If you just want to pump a few thousand gallons a portable gas powered pump will probably be your best option.
> 
> If you want to pump a lot of water and electricity is close enough you can't beat electric pumps for cost and convenience.
> 
> Compare the cost per gallon of water pumped and the difference is huge.


I went with 2" trash pumps... I can move them wherever I need them, to irrigate the orchard or garden, or bring to the house for emergency fire fighting. They run for hours on a gallon of gas, and pump thousands of gallons. I can fill up a 240 gallon 'tote' in about ten minutes, and that's a 50' lift, 300' away.

If you need lots of water, right now, they can't be beat. I got a ~$180 5hp pump from TSC, a clone of my $400 5hp Honda... everythings identical on them.

I thought about electric, but pumping 1/4 mile away would be impossible. Also, I got this for fire fighting contingencies...... and if there's a wildfire, the electrics will go out, and no pumpee pumpee... with stored gas, not an issue. When my life is on the line, I want dependability, and our local co-op electrics go out if a flea sneezes in Bhutan.


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## kycrawler

i have a pond in the pasture i pump water the cows out of long story short i took a 110v submergible well pump hooked it up to a piece of 1 inch black plastic water line and threw it in the pond ran the hose to a 4-500 gallon concrete water tank put a ball valve at the tank with the ball valve just cracked most of the time it siphons out of the pond and i dont have to run the pump every now and then i have to open the valve and turn the breaker on for about 5 minutes to fill the tank been working that way for about 4-5 years


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