Leaking pond

[David Wayne]

Neighbor has a pond on some land I would like to buy. It is overgrown, overstocked, under fished, and muskrats have it leaking so bad they cant mow the yard on the downhill side. I havn't seen water go over the spillway in 8 or 10 years. What would be the best fix? I am thinking drain it, and when it freezes clean it up. Hoping draining will make the rats move out.

 

[boggen]

double check your laws in your state to see if you can kill muskrats or not. it may be illegal.

Pond Boss Magazine: Welcome = like TBN but for mud/clay ponds
www.koiphen.com = like TBN but more for liner ponds, and some mud/clay ponds.

are you sure it is from the pond? i have had springs pop up in different spots in my pasture,

in a couple areas on bottom side of hill, it is a wet soaking mess, due to drain field tiles have collasped. and no longer able to remove all the rain water coming down the hill.\

is the overflow pipe clogged up, and water just running over a built in notch (off on the side of the **** normally), to let excess water out of the pond?

is the water at bottom of hill simply from the overflow pipe on the pond?

 

[Soundguy]

i've heard of people with a leaking pond go out and dump in about 5-6+ bags of bentonite into the water right 'above' the suspected leak area after settling the leak usually stems a bit for the next week, and then you can do it again.

I've not tred that fix, though have used bentonite to MAKE resevoir beds for effluent settling ( treatment plant )

 

[David Wayne]

The pond is over 50 yrs old built into a small hillside. 3/4 of it is earth dyke with a dip for the overflow. The owners were my neighbor my whole life, so when he passed away I kept it mowed for years till she passed. The leak started on the side of the bank half way up right where rats were working. This was some yrs ago while I still mowed. As they increased so did the leaks. I walked up there today & the water is 2-3 feet low & the bank is still seeping water. Sooner or later I suppose the rats will have it drained. As for killing rats I believe there is a season for them, but it would be hard to get them all. Thanks for the link I will check it out as I get time.

 

[roadhunter]

Last year muskrats were bringing good money from the fur buyers so you can probably get a trapper to come in and remove a good amount of them for free.

I recently completed a job in SD at a NWR where we had muskrats causing problems with our temporary dam. Ended up taking a 80k pound excavator and mashing down on the areas where we had leaks. It worked for the most part but some water sill got through.

Bentonite might fix the leak but the real problem are the muskrats. Fix that problem first.

 

[kioskcarp]

Ponds that wont hold water cost big money to fix sometimes. Our friend spent money on gypsum, benonite, clay,and alot of excavation work.And it still wont hold water. Get your county ag agent to look at it then take his advice on the best excavation contractor to fix it. It will save you money in the long run. My grandfather is retired Excavation contractor and has built over 100 ponds and fix some other peoples mess in Alabama. Just my two cents. There is no easy fix. Some old timers have told me hogs will stomp a bottom in one.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

I've got myself a leaking pond as well. Used to hold water - until I had it enlarged and deepened. The dozer got into rock, which apparently leaks like the Titanic. 100 feet across and 15 feet deep, will fill with a few days of heavy rain but drains to mud in 3-5 days. The work was done by a professional with years of experience and a great reputation. I considered bentonite, but it should really be mixed and spread ... just too much work for me. I'm considering having pond suitable clay brought in and making a 6-12 inch base. As with most things, it can be fixed with time and $$money$$. Goody.

 

[sld]

Bentonite might fix the leak but the real problem are the muskrats. Fix that problem first.

This is your best advice. The have made honeycomb out of your dam structure.

 

[Fossil Farm]

The muskrats stay because there is a food source for them. Cattails, reeds, high grass, etc. The food sources must be eliminated (or else other rats will move in) , the rats have to be trapped out and the dam needs to be fixed. If you have many leaks, not just one or two, probably best to strip the dam down below the muskrat dens and rebuild it so it is solid and all the loose layers of fill are compacted again. Clean out all the vegetation and 50 years of silt and start a new pond adventure. Will not be easy or cheap, but the pond will be a constant problem if you buy the property and do not fix the pond properly. Again, that is if there is many leaks, not just one or two. You can hand dig and tamp one or two dens, but if it has not held water at the spillway level the last 8 years, there probably is substantial damage. Bentonite needs to be mixed into the existing soil so it swells and binds well if you decide to purchase some and try this method. Just dumping it in the pond without mixing it in will not work.

 

[David Wayne]

Thanks for the replies, alot to consider before/ if I make an offer