Ideas on an intake for shallow well jet pump

[rafjr64]

Shallow well jet pump pulling from creek
Outside irrigation

Anyone have any ideas for an intake set-up that can 1) either float on the surface of the creek or 2) be submersed and filter out debris?

Right now, I have it submersed. Foot valve is inside a 4 inch x 16 inch pvc pipe with slots cut into it then wrapped in reusable furnace filter material then wrapped in steel window screen. Would be nice to have a box sitting in the water with more surface area of filter material but..

My tank is slow to fill and I am guessing I have two much silt and organic debris coming into the intake and restricting the suction. That's why I am thinking I need a different filtering system. Been fighting this for too long.

I would prefer to make something that floats and pulls water from the surface. My suction pipe is rigid pvc 1.25"
Would need some flexible pipe because the pipe is directed up the bank if I go with a surface suction. I see firefighters use the surface suction but those are out of my price range.

Any ideas?

 

[Banjo Bud]

What about a concrete box without a top that would sit in the water with the top a few inches below the surface. Your suction pipe and foot valve could be inside. But if the level of the creek varies a lot, this might not work.

How about a horizontal foot valve that would be about a foot above the bottom of the creek, connected to an elbow turned toward the bottom of the creek, then a weighted section of pipe (weighted down with blocks or whatever it takes) along the bottom and up and out toward your pump. I have a regular foot valve in a horizontal position in a spring that has worked fine for years.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[rafjr64]

Good ideas. Guess this started me thinking about it harder. Maybe a square base made of pvc so it doesn't rock side to side and a piece of pvc sticking up vertically or at a 45 degree with the foot valve mounted on it. Thank you.

 

[Banjo Bud]

Yes that sounds like it could work. You’d want it to not move or the pipe could break. I bought a 2’ x 4’ x 1/2” thick piece of HDPE a month ago for a project. But I’m wondering if you could anchor your intake pipe to the creek bed somehow, then a 45 up to a horizontal foot valve a foot or two above the creek bed. Maybe a few pieces of concrete from an old driveway someone is replacing could hold the pipe down. That would also depend on how strong the creek flow is. A torrential rain in the creek near me would destroy everything.

 

[rafjr64]

Good idea. Only have to worry about the flow damaging it in the winter when it rains. Right now it's very, very slow and I have it angled down stream with the current. What I ended up doing for now was...removed the furnace filter and screen material I was using and placed a cinder block under the intake to keep it in the middle column of water. Thing is running much better now. Filter was just clogged up. Also removed the flow restrictors in my impact sprinklers so anything that does get through will not plug up sprinklers. When I change to drip, I'll have to install an automatic flush filter after the pressure tank before the water heads out to the pipes.

 

[Chucky_ott]

How about a sand point?