Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations leaking gate valve

My problem is a leaking gate valve. I'm losing about about 6 inches every 2 weeks. Pond size is 1 3/4 acre about average 10 feet depth.

I do have an emergency flow around the damn that works exceptionally well. What remedies, I'm hoping other than draining since my fish are getting to good size do I have.

Lburch

put plate on inlet pipe, put 90 on outlet with extension above pond level, valve on outlet, open reseat valve, put some expanding clay (forget name now) in inlet pipe

Can you cap the inlet end of the pipe and remove/replace the seals in the leaking gate valve? The emergency overflow will work for a while, but if it's an earthen spillway, it IS what it's called, an "emergency" spillway and not designed for continuous use.

Cliffbrook:

My through pipe (dam) is about 32 inches in diameter. The pond is about 20 feet deep at the location of the gate valve and would be that to turn a 90 upward.

I've thought about getting someone with scuba gear to dive down and pack something around the gate valve. I noticed last year when I closed it off there appeared to be a small gap. Mother nature sealed it off for a while.

I do have a good steady creek that flows through my pond. Even another idea to put a cap on the exit end and reduce the flow somewhat.

Any ideas on the clay sealant?

thanks,

LBurch

32 inches, OMG, thats huge/humongous/unbelievable, at any rate its hard to deal with, they do not have 32" pipe fittings at my local hardware store, and with 20 feet of water you have almost 5000pound of force on the gate valve, and with that large diameter you will have trouble maintaning the seal around the gate and getting it to close. and you are.

so, the clay is called bentonite, the local dirt guys or well drillers can probly help you source it, that might be your best bet, a scuba guy could take some buckets down or you could merely pour a couple bags in front of the inlet (probly your best approach) and pray to the pond gods for good luck, and hope they owe you some favors. most people dont know where the leak in their pond is, but sounds like you know exactly where your leak is. I could send you some muskrats, they are good at plugging up my pipes.

you know pictures are kinda fun, the stream in, the valve stem, the flow out of the 32" pipe that you are hoping/trying to stop, and you know we always love to see new ponds as they are all beautiful.

if you have a stream coming in you gotta have a stream going out so a leaking valve doesnt sound all that critical, how does the flow leave normally/planned? (I spose you have an overflow that tees in after the valve, so add the overflow to the list of pics). I spose you dont have the valve closed (understandably difficult) or it is kinda sprung and not sealing the circumference (understandable as well).

If you have a diver going down, and know where the leak is there is another option. Sika makes a hydraulic cement that will harden up under water. It hardens in a very short time, so only very small batches can be mixed at a time. I'm talking 2 handfuls at a time.....

We had to plug a leak on a floating highway so we could go inside and seal the crack in the concrete with epoxy (inject it into the crack). As we were injecting the crack, we had a diver on the outside placing this Sika product over the crack so the epoxy didn't run out into the ocean. We mixed it topside in the inside liner of a basketball, folded the rubber over the Sika, and handed it to the diver. He went down and smeared it on the crack, sealing it good enough so we could keep injecting epoxy. He had to wire brush the concrete first to expose good concrete to get the Sika to stick, but after that, it held.

The product was called Sika 102 Waterplug if I remember correctly.

Esshup & Cliffbrook:

Thanks gentlemen for your suggestions. I will take some digital photos and submit them for your review.

My emergency spillway essentially serves as the primary spillway. I shot the vertical piping with a transit and the emergency spillway giving them both an equal share to take the excess water.

The emergency spillway is lined with concrete and rock to prevent or reduce erosion. I'll take photos of it as well.

I'm not opposed to eliminating the gate valve entirely. I'd just have to figure how to seal off the piping between the gate valve and the tee at the overflow.

Again, thanks for your responses and your interest. Give me a week or so for pics, have to go out of town.

regards

LBurch

No rush, we'll be here!