Bog builds in areas with a harsh winter climate.

[Riftlake]

I'm thinking of trying a pond with a bog filter, but it freezes deep in the winter here in the mountains of northern Arizona. I read where it is recommended not to drain the bog for the winter, but I don't see how the pipes feeding it and within it, would not burst. Some years there is little snow, and it freezes deep. We bury our water lines a minimum of 3' deep.

I could see maybe feeding the bog with a pipe that comes up and over the top edge of the bog connected to the pipes running under the gravel, that could be drained and disconnected for the winter. That leaves the under gravel pipes embedded in a block of ice for the winter. What a mess if those pipes burst. Anyone have experience with a bog build in a harsh winter climate, and have experienced and solved these issues? What if the bog is drained ? Have you tried that? Do you lose the plants?

 

[poconojoe]

I think most everyone shuts off the water flow to their bog and disconnects it from their pump hose. I think as long as the water is not trapped and has room to expand when it freezes, all will be OK.
From what I've read here, the bog just freezes with all the plants in it. It doesn't get drained. If you drained it, the plants will probably dry up and die.
Another reason the bog needs to be disconnected is to prevent the water from back flowing into the pond when you turn off your pump. This would empty the bog. Of course it needs to be disconnected at the highest point where the pump hose connects to the bog pipe.

 

[poconojoe]

The winter hardy plants just freeze in the bog. Come Springtime, they wake up.

 

[mrsclem]

My raised bogs freeze solid. As long as the pipes are open there is room for ice expansion, no pipes bursting. You don't want to drain your bog, the plants will die.

 

[Tula]

We disconnect the bog pipe . The pipes at the bottom of the bog probably freeze ( 12 inches down ) but as they're disconnected we haven't had a problem.

 

[addy1]

A lot of my pipes are out in the open, I have a external pump, which I pull for the winter. I just leave all the pipes open to air, none have frozen and broke.
The bog is left full of water, pipes at the bottom, it freezes the plants come back.