Hello fellow pond lovers. This is my first post. I'm really glad I found this group, you seem to be a very knowlegable bunch of folks, and along with that, very passionate about all the details about pond/lake aquaculture. Ok, Here's my situation. Rebuilt a pond levee in August after draining an old pond two years ago that was originally a gully damed up by my dad 40 years ago...shaped the sides, removed old vegetation, etc. I wish I had known about this site before I rebuilt it...seems I made some mistakes....like using two 20'x 24" inch galvanized drainage culverts as a drop drain--joined with a non-waterproof collar with no water proof barriers placed perpendicular to the drain pipe. Water level in the pond is now about 3 feet higher than the base of the pipe in the levee. Saturday Morning, after our rain event, I noticed a trickle of water emerging from the drain end of the pipe--but water needs to rise about 30 inches more before it reaches the top of the drain pipe. I crawled into the pipe to check out the source of the leak...water is gurguling up like a spring (3-5) gal/hr est)where the pipe is joined together. There has been little change in the volume of the flow or the clarity of the water..it's still clear as drinking water. Suggestions to the cheapest fix? I have a friend with some Bentonite--well drillers mud.... if this is the answer.....can it be placed in water?....above water level? if so, about how much per square foot? any suggestion appreciated

Ridgeman....welcome (albeit 8 months too late???)
For me, a couple of confusing spec's you provided: please paint a pic of "drop drain"; water is 36" higher than base of drain, then you say it needs to raise 30" more to reach top of a 24" dia drain?

Brettski...yeah a little late, but I prefer to move foward...... a little wiser from mistakes of the past... the drainage is basically all 24" diameter-40 feet long, running not at the base of the levee, but about 4 feet above the bottom of the pond at its lowest point. on the pond side of the drain, a right angle on the pipe goes vertical about 5.5 feet, so that's why the 30" and 36" were mentioned...

Excellent attitude...you will get lotsa support from these guys. I only come with pretty decent book smarts (my project continues this summer). The "hands-on" crew will kick in with input. I, as always, will be v interested to see the ideas.

Ridgeman this subject was actually breached (no pun intended) at the PB meeting. Otto made a comment to another PB member that if you are seeing moisture and/or a leak on the backside of the dam, then you are getting really close to a blowout. Different remedies were discussed then, but I believe Otto leaned more toward digging down to the source and then compacting the area with clay before you have a MAJOR problem. Might be a good idea to email Otto directly for his input on your situation.
BTW welcome on board. Better to come on late than never. Lots of good info here to absorb (sorry, another bad pun for your situation). :rolleyes:
Glad to have you here.

Deb

Thanks, I just may let mother nature take its course and let it do the digout of the drain pipe..I have other uses for it ...then with you guys to guide me in the construction of a concrete overflow..... and guess what, Bentonite has other uses also: That Bentonite Mine out in Texas could really rake it in, if this catches on!


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That seems scary! I thought it was intended to plug up holes. OUCH!!!

Deb,
that is exactly why we need you here...I admire your imagination....YIKES!

Ridgeman, not sure I would let Mother Nature take care of the problem. But, maybe you have more dam building material than I have. The point is that you have a chance for a controlled repair or a huge gaping hole. Once it starts, it doesn't stop. And, it sounds like it is just about to start. The pipe might not be too convenient to salvage.

Hey Dave........

You are correct, but; I'll take a chance that this will settle out with a little Bentonite application thrown in around the pipe structure. You know, its amazing how much a 3/4 acre pond filled with 8 feet of water...how much it weighs... I'm sure that the number I give is off a bit, but 2 million gallons of water weighs 16 million pounds! The levee structure, 100x20 feet= 2000 square feet...if the total weight of all the water is on that 2000 square feet........that's scary........well, lets just say you wouldn't want to stand behind it during a significant rain event!

Ridgeman,

You don't have to worry about the total weight of the water, just the pressure exerted by the water on the face of the dam or levee. The horizontal force exerted on each linear foot of the dam is 62.4(h^2)/2 where h= the height of the water in feet. The centerline of the force is always 2/3 of the way below the waterline.

OK, Hillbilly,
I've got all but the ^ understood in the equation...educate me.

h^2 is h x h

or h squared

Thank you Hillbilly,

I'm a redneck,,even I can sqare----------

dance.

Apparently...........

I can't spell though, as evidenced by leek for leak and sqare for square.

Don't feel bad Rideman. In the other thread I'm issued an IN-VIH-TATIE-OYN to my friends to come visit me. :rolleyes:

Jeeesh!! I can't even spell Ridgeman right.