[JoeFromStonyHill]

I got a pond I can’t seem to fix. It is about an acre with about 6 acres of run off. I have seen it full a couple of times but it doesn’t take long to go back down. It has been leaking ever since it was built about eight years ago. I did not build it it was on the price of property when I bought it. In the last couple years I’ve added 2 more acres of run off and spread about 900 dollars worth of bentonite in it with no luck. I feel like spreading bentonite is a shot in the dark because I really have no clue where it is leaking. Right now it leaks about a half inch a day and it is around 7 feet deep and at around 4 feet deep it leaks around 3/16 a day. There is a wet spot on back side of dam at the bottom maybe 3 feet up the dam about 10 ft long but nothing real bad just damp and no running water that I can find. I am thinking with a leak like that I should see running water. Anyway my question has anyone ever had any luck finding a leak or heard of anyone sealing one up. I am not against re building it but I am having trouble even finding any one to look at it. Any help would be great also if you know anyone from the Washington or franklin county area that fixes ponds that would help to. Thanks

 

[Wingmaster78]

Grandpa fixed a leaking pond by putting a fence up around it and putting a dozen hogs in the " pen".
The wallowing sealed it up.

 

[truehunter]

I have a leaking pond . It’s about one acre and this time of year there is a visible small stream in very bottom behind the dam .
Last year it was down probably 4 feet .
Sounds like maybe yours is running between layers of limestone shelf . I will be following this thread hope to learn something.

 

[Broken Bear]

https://extension.psu.edu/fixing-a-leaking-pond

A good article that lays out nicely the pros and cons of water loss, discovery and solutions ....my experience has been if the pond is important and ...leaks ...draining and walking in good clay/soil into the bottom is the final fix ...like this article says ..throwing up a levy does not build a pond

Bear

 

[bassbuster83]

Many ponds around my area have been fixed an as stated above draining an usually bringing in lots of clay is solution.

 

[170BC]

A pond is a sealed bowl . Not just a dam . You probably have layers of limestone as said earlier. There is no easy button. As said earlier it needs clay that's sheep footed in a heavy dozer works too . Not a 950 series or 963 . At least 977 or D9 size and they have to have good clay . This type leak is difficult to find . If you don't have the equipment and know how to operate it, money wise you are better off having it rebuilt. Pay once cry a long once versus trying to patch & crying forever.

 

[hazelvillebucks]

Did you order your bentonite by the ton or buy bags. NATURAL WATERSCAPES IS A PLACE TO ORDER IT BY BULK , there site is also very good at the how to stuff also.

 

[Mailman]

Has to be a type of rock fissure where its leaking down through the bedrock since no leakage is behind the dam. Best drain it and get a good base layer of clay down to seal those fissures.

 

[BackyardBandit]

Dale Hinson is in the area but wouldn’t be surprised if he’s too busy excavating to mess with a pond.

Leaking ponds suck!

 

[antlercrazed]

Seal it with clay that is the way to go

 

[JoeFromStonyHill]

Did you order your bentonite by the ton or buy bags. NATURAL WATERSCAPES IS A PLACE TO ORDER IT BY BULK , there site is also very good at the how to stuff also.

I just went to my local mfa and bout it by the pallet they told me that people use it for that reason all the time but I got loooking into it some is better then others from what I read

 

[JoeFromStonyHill]

Thanks for all your help I’ll try to get someone out there to re build it I guess I can only imaging what this is going to cost.

 

[Muleskinner]

If it’s an acre $$$$$

 

[Muleskinner]

Baulkenbush in Linn used to very good Gary Reinkemeyer operator passed away so I’m not sure who runs their machine now D6

 

[dalek]

Guy on pond boss sells a polymer for sealing ponds. Might be worth a look

 

[JoeFromStonyHill]

Guy on pond boss sells a polymer for sealing ponds. Might be worth a look

I looked at them they are really expensive and no guarantee. If I knew exactly where the leak was I would maybe give that a try

 

[20']

how bg are the bass n bluegill? if you are going to drain it, we can help get the fish to the skillet

 

[Mailman]

Careful cleaning it out if you drain it. Father in law got his D6 stuck in the muck and ended up throwing both tracks off. Had to hire an even bigger dozer to come pull him out. Wish I would have taken photos. The muck was ball deep...I know that for a fact.

 

[ymurf]

I wish you luck.It is extremely hard to fix a leaking pond without draining,hauling in good clay and redoing. I have a 1 acre pond I had dug that has leaked since new.Seepage leak that comes out at the toe of the damn.

 

[hazelvillebucks]

a bob cat should be what is needed