Forage Pond Leaking - 04/30/11 12:56 PM
I have a small forage pond that is unfortunately leaking. The small pond is at the bottom of a ravine. The leak itself is on the side of the steepest hill that drains into the pond. I believe that the cause of the leak is an underground system that initially fills the pond after a big rain but also drains the pond in the few days that follow. I have attached a few pictures of the hole (both up close and from a distance).
I have tried to plug the hole using a concrete slurry. This seemed to work for a while but it wasn't long before the force of the underground water flowing down the side of the hillside pushed around the concrete and formed another area for draining the pond. Given the steep side and the force of the water after a big rain I am not sure how to plug the leak. At this point I am contemplating buying a large section of pond liner (20 x 30 feet?) and securing it to the top of the bank that has the hole and having it drape over the hole and surrounding area. I think that this 'drape' would allow water to come in through the hole after a big rain but, once the pond fills, the force of the water in the pond would push the liner up against the hole keeping the water from escaping out the hole once the water table drops. In effect, I would be using the pond liner as a check valve of sorts. I'm not really sure what to do at this point. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.
I have tried to plug the hole using a concrete slurry. This seemed to work for a while but it wasn't long before the force of the underground water flowing down the side of the hillside pushed around the concrete and formed another area for draining the pond. Given the steep side and the force of the water after a big rain I am not sure how to plug the leak. At this point I am contemplating buying a large section of pond liner (20 x 30 feet?) and securing it to the top of the bank that has the hole and having it drape over the hole and surrounding area. I think that this 'drape' would allow water to come in through the hole after a big rain but, once the pond fills, the force of the water in the pond would push the liner up against the hole keeping the water from escaping out the hole once the water table drops. In effect, I would be using the pond liner as a check valve of sorts. I'm not really sure what to do at this point. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.