Biltmore Estate Bass Pond

USA / North Carolina / Biltmore Forest /
 lake, interesting place
Picture portrays a brick flume designed by Olmsted to divert silt in heavy runoff keeping the pond clear. Almost a thousand feet long with a opening of seven feet tapering to about half at the end. Designed to increase the force of water keeping the flume clear. When the stream was flooding the excess water overflowed into a brick chamber with a metal pan. As the pan filled with silt the heavier it became triggering a lever that closed a valve and diverted the floodwaters into the flume. When the stream returned to normal and no longer entered the chamber, the water in the pan drained through holes in the bottom, and as it rose, the action closed the valve and the stream resumed its normal course.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biltmore_Estate
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   35°31'57"N   82°33'13"W

Comments

  • a beautiful walk from the estate gardens, but be prepared to be tired. It's downhill to the pond, but uphill coming back!
This article was last modified 12 years ago