Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Soil questions Plan to fix pond-per Pond Boss approval.

Background:
3/4 acre spring fed pond in the bottom of a very steep draw was completed in fall of 04. Dam was cored with the best possible on-site fill material and appears to be solid. Balance of pond contained questionable soil, but it was hoped that inflow from the springs would offset this problem. Part of the upper pond area was somewhat marshy where the spring flow meandered and disappeared. Looking back after three years of reading Pond Boss that was obviously a bad sign, but at the time we thought it was the perfect area. Pond was completed in late Sept 04, full in November 04 and flowed out the standpipe until early June 05. By late June and through Sept pond dropped around one inch per day. Was under half full when fall rains began refilling and by Jan 06 it was flowing out the pipe again. No visable leaks were ever found. Summer 06 was a repeat of the previous year with the pond overflowing til late May when it resumed the steady fall.

So far:
I cut the standpipe off in late fall last year at the low point so the pond would not refill over the winter. At present pond has about 4 feet of water at the deepest point. Hope to drain it completely in the next month. When its dry I will remove all of the remaining fish structure.

The plan:
Original builder is a reputable dozer man and family friend. He has pledged to help any way possible. He is looking for nearby quality clay that we can have for little or nothing. Plan to haul in clay and line the lower 2/3 of the pond basin. I have a CDL and can drive his dump truck so I'm hoping to save some $ that way. Dozer man will then fill in/smooth a channel and some humps that I had him build/leave originally, then spread the clay. I can then rent a sheepsfoot roller for a day and pack the snot out of it repeatedly.

Potential problems:
1. Cost - Must find nearby clay for cheap or nothing to avoid high cost of hauling dirt.
2. Marshy upper part of pond area. When we were building the pond we actually hit a spring in the uppper end that we thought would help with the inflow. When it started dropping I was originally afraid that it was leaking out the marshy area or that the spring was working in reverse. However, when the pond dropped below the marshy area and spring level the rate of drop did not change. In fact, the rate of drop never changed as the pond got lower and lower.

OK Pondbossers, what have I left out? What else do I need to do?

Coach, I still need to hook up with you and see your place, as well as show you mine. I met your dozier guy on a construction site one time. I was asking about ponds, as I was just getting done with mine, and he told me about one he had constructed. I put it all together and realized it was yours. He did seem like a class act.

My thoughts are this, and you know as well as I do, that we are in a record breaking earth cracking drought that old timers have not ever seen. That said it is good earthmoving weather.

1.0 If you want to go cheap, put pigs in and start feeding them.

2.0 If one is not an option, do what you are doing tempered by reading every single word TNHillbilly has written here. He is an engineer, if I recall. I spoke with him not that long ago. He's had some rains that we have not. Take care and good luck.

Send me a pm sometime and I'll give you a number. I've done what you are planning on doing. I got done about last November, right about the time it quit raining.

Finding the leak is the hardest part. The pond drops to a certain level, then stops. So, we can assume the leak to be at that level. But, don't assume. My experiences suggests there could be more than a single "leak" especially since soils are suspect. Often, we assume water is leaving from a single source...but that's not "normal" for a leaky pond. Take hundreds of pinhead size leaks, like little veins, add them together and you have a pond which loses an inch each day. I would plan to line the entire pond with clay, if possible. You will get one shot at it, so I would plan to "overkill" if you think it's practical.
Also, since your dam was made of good material, we can assume you have other good material available. Why not use a backhoe to excavate several areas near the pond, see what you have, and try to pulverize and use it? That could save enough money to line the entire pond. If your material is suspect, verify through a compaction and/or plasticity test from a nearby lab. Then, you will know for sure.

I agree with Bob 100%, I live pretty close to you and build ponds for a living. The one thing i always do in a lining project is line the whole pond and go at least a foot above your normal water level.You should compact in small lifts so you can get good compaction over the whole pond.One thing i was wondering, did you cut into the bedrock with your core?

that's good advice.

when a pond drops to a certain level and stops its either that the leak is at that level, or the hydraulic head is reduced to the point that water is not being driven out through the "pinholes" in the bottom. chances are, your leak is in the areas where hydraulic pressure is greatest. if budget and resources do not allow you to line the entire pond, start with the deepest areas first.

Thanks for the replies. I will be looking for clay adjacent to the pond or on our property ASAP.
Pond never stabilized at a certain level. It continued its inch a day drop until fall rains refilled it. As was mentioned, I don't really think there is a specific leak. Just the hydraulic pressure forcing it out the sides and bottom of suspect areas.