Pond Dam Leaking.....NOW WHAT?

[rutwad]

What is the best method to locate where the dam may be leaking? Then, what is the best way to repair? The pond has been around for several years, but just recently started leaking. What should we do?

 

[EddieWalker]

Are there any trees on the dam? Brush? What about animal holes?

Odds are that if it just started leaking, than something dug or grew through it.

Wait until it stops leaking. The water will lower to the point of the leak. Then you'll have to do a very careful search to see if you can find where the water is passing through. Odds are that you wont see anything, but you never know.

If you don't find a root or something obvious, than your'll have to seal the whole dam at that level, just above it and just below it. From what I've read, Bentonite is the best thing for this. It expands when it's wet and is the prefered material for sealing leaks.

You spread it over the area and mix it in. Use a roter tiller or a shovel and mix it in real good. Compact and hope you put enough Bentonite into the soile.

That's what I understand, but I've never done it, so I'd suggest you go to Pond Boss Magazine Home Page! and search through there forums. They are the experts on ponds like this site is on tractors.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[CharlieTR]

Search the net for leaking ponds and there is a ton of info.
do you know if that pond has bentonite as a liner?

 

[Dirthog]

try and watch and see if you have muskrats in the pond they are great for diging holes in ponds

 

[fireguy1451]

or import a few beavers... they hate leaking water

 

[Dozernut]

Chemical dye to locate leak, Sodium Bentonite to repair. Look under oil field supply for Sodium Bentonite.

 

[JamesH]

Benseal is another trade name for it.
My local Farm/Family Center even sells it under a name like Pond Seal I think.
Just do some calling around. It is often used for lining the outside casing of wells.

I have 6 bags in the garage now waiting for the right time to apply and mix it in.

Best Regards,
James

 

[Doc_Bob]

Chemical dye to locate leak, Sodium Bentonite to repair. Look under oil field supply for Sodium Bentonite.

My neighbor has a pond. It was leaking. He found the leaks. He simply took a 50 (or 35??) gallon black plastic trash bag and covered the leak. Problem solved. No matter how much stuff he jammed into that hole, it always leaked. The black plastic bag "cap" worked like a charm.
Bob

 

[Dozernut]

Evening Doc Bob
Sodium Bentonite swells when it gets wet. If he had used that and in sufficient quantity, it would have sealed the leak.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Evening Doc Bob
Sodium Bentonite swells when it gets wet. If he had used that and in sufficient quantity, it would have sealed the leak.

I agree, but this old guy had one thing, no tools and just some plastic bags.
Bob

 

[PineRidge]

If there wasn't a core trench to key the dam in place you may have to live with a leak. Our neighbor opted for the do-it-yourself approach, without a core trench and his dam has leaked ever since.

We used an engineer to tell the excavator how and why. They used a sheeps-foot to compact soil/clay that was placed back in the core trench as the dam was built. No leaks here as a result.

Pond basics

 

[gemini5362]

Buy yourself some Ducks they look pretty will warn you if there are any prowlers and something that they give off will seal ponds. I am not sure if it is feathers that they lose in the water or waste. I do know that it will seal ponds that have small leaks

 

[roadhunter]

Here is a water control structure on a project I just finished up at Chadron St Park. They used a concrete outlet structure with stop logs.



More detail



Now the water is up to about 6 inches below the top of the concrete structure and the owner built a expanded metal guard over the top and front to keep debris out.

 

[roadhunter]

Some others from LaCreek NWR. They use gates.