An apparatus is disclosed for controlling water flow into a reservoir such as a farm pond (100) to prevent silting of the pond due to sediment deposits during heavy rains. A gate assembly (10) has a reservoir gate (12) to let water into the pond when the water is clear and block water flow into the reservoir when the water is sediment laden. The assembly (10) also has a diverter gate (14) which opens to allow the turbid flow to flow around the pond in a diverter channel (104) The gates work in opposite directions so that the water flow is either permitted into the reservoir or diverted around the pond in the diverter channel. A turbidity detector (50) upstream of the gate assembly senses the turbidity of the water to control the gate assembly. The apparatus is preferably powered by a battery recharged by a solar cell. The battery can be buried underground to resist overheating of the battery.
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